Crime in Leighton: statistics, rates and trends
524 crimes were recorded in Leighton in the 12 months to August 2026, 75.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (271), public order (66) and other theft (46) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,015th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Leighton | Cheshire East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 524 | 28,139 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 75.2 | 66.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 6,971 | 421,298 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Leighton of any year here (524 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 153%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 524 | 75.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 491 | 70.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 415 | 59.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 252 | 36.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 283 | 40.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 311 | 44.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 323 | 46.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 306 | 43.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 207 | 29.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 52 |
| June 2026 | 59 |
| May 2026 | 55 |
| April 2026 | 32 |
| March 2026 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 37 |
| January 2026 | 44 |
| December 2025 | 48 |
| November 2025 | 42 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| September 2025 | 40 |
Compared with England and Wales, Leighton recorded notably more public order (42% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (69% below) and criminal damage and arson (21% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 35 to 46 and criminal damage and arson rose from 32 to 37, while anti-social behaviour fell from 46 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 271 | 38.9 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Public order | 66 | 9.5 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Other theft | 46 | 6.6 | 6.4 | +31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 37 | 5.3 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 33 | 4.7 | 15.4 | -28% |
| Other crime | 17 | 2.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 17 | 2.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Leighton; the highest is Crewe Central (169.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Willaston and Rope (37.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Leighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crewe North | 423 | 73.6 | -2% |
| Crewe St Barnabas | 309 | 78.1 | +4% |
| Crewe Central | 1,427 | 169.8 | +126% |
| Crewe East | 2,569 | 145.1 | +93% |
| Crewe West | 1,165 | 106.3 | +41% |
| Crewe South | 1,463 | 111.3 | +48% |
| Wistaston | 444 | 45.4 | -40% |
| Willaston and Rope | 240 | 37.2 | -51% |
The 10 locations below account for 63% of the crime recorded in Leighton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (168).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 168 |
| On or near Marshall Close | 45 |
| On or near Douglas Forrest Close | 20 |
| On or near B5076 | 17 |
| On or near Supermarket | 16 |
| On or near Manor Farm Drive | 15 |
| On or near Sunnyside Place | 14 |
| On or near Allman Close | 13 |
| On or near Clayton Close | 10 |
| On or near Merlin Court | 10 |
Of the 491 crimes in Leighton with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 10% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 33 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 196 | 39.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 103 | 21.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 58 | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 50 | 10.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 6.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Leighton has an estimated population of 6,971 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (2.6%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (4.7%, against 23.3%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (10%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Leighton average decile 9.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Leighton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 73.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 4.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 85.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 2.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Leighton a safe place to live?
Leighton recorded 75.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,015th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Leighton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 271 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (66).
Is crime in Leighton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Leighton was up 7% on the year before: 524 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 491 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Leighton?
About 6,971 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Leighton?
Leighton is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.