Crime in Hempstead & Wigmore: statistics, rates and trends
507 crimes were recorded in Hempstead & Wigmore in the 12 months to August 2026, 52.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hempstead & Wigmore at a glance
- Crime trends in Hempstead & Wigmore
- Types of crime in Hempstead & Wigmore
- Hempstead & Wigmore compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Hempstead & Wigmore
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hempstead & Wigmore
- Demographics of Hempstead & Wigmore
- Questions about crime in Hempstead & Wigmore
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (153), anti-social behaviour (117) and shoplifting (81) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,916th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Hempstead & Wigmore | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 507 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 52.8 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 9,610 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hempstead & Wigmore peaked in the year to August 2018 (614 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (456). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 507 | 52.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 469 | 48.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 457 | 47.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 456 | 47.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 471 | 49.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 468 | 48.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 494 | 51.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 461 | 48.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 614 | 63.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 39 |
| July 2026 | 57 |
| June 2026 | 46 |
| May 2026 | 46 |
| April 2026 | 43 |
| March 2026 | 45 |
| February 2026 | 55 |
| January 2026 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 38 |
| November 2025 | 41 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (54% below) and violence and sexual offences (53% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 46 to 81 and criminal damage and arson rose from 27 to 43, while vehicle crime fell from 26 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 153 | 15.9 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 117 | 12.2 | 15.4 | +38% |
| Shoplifting | 81 | 8.4 | 8.5 | +76% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 43 | 4.5 | 6.7 | +59% |
| Other theft | 32 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Vehicle crime | 22 | 2.3 | 5.0 | -15% |
| Drugs | 13 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Public order | 13 | 1.4 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 10 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Hempstead & Wigmore; the highest is Luton, Medway (140.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Rainham South East (48.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hempstead & Wigmore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainham South East | 662 | 48.4 | -8% |
| Rainham South West | 551 | 58.7 | +11% |
| Princes Park | 650 | 63.8 | +21% |
| Lordswood & Walderslade | 789 | 56.2 | +7% |
| Twydall | 688 | 75.9 | +44% |
| Rainham North | 937 | 63.0 | +19% |
| Watling | 1,924 | 120.1 | +128% |
| Luton | 1,454 | 140.5 | +166% |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Hempstead & Wigmore over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (107).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 107 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 31 |
| On or near Supermarket | 28 |
| On or near Parking Area | 26 |
| On or near Sherlodge Mews | 22 |
| On or near Pear Tree Lane | 17 |
| On or near Waters Place | 16 |
| On or near Sandy Dell | 14 |
| On or near Foulds Close | 12 |
| On or near Cedar Grove | 10 |
Of the 390 crimes in Hempstead & Wigmore with a recorded outcome, 48% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 117 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 186 | 47.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 117 | 30.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 23 | 5.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Hempstead & Wigmore has an estimated population of 9,610 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (1.0%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (8.4%, against 23.3%) and an older population (30%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hempstead & Wigmore average decile 9.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Hempstead & Wigmore | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 89.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 1.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hempstead & Wigmore a safe place to live?
Hempstead & Wigmore recorded 52.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,916th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Hempstead & Wigmore?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 153 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (117).
Is crime in Hempstead & Wigmore going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hempstead & Wigmore was up 8% on the year before: 507 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 469 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hempstead & Wigmore?
About 9,610 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hempstead & Wigmore?
Hempstead & Wigmore is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.