Crime in Melksham Forest: statistics, rates and trends
587 crimes were recorded in Melksham Forest in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Melksham Forest at a glance
- Crime trends in Melksham Forest
- Types of crime in Melksham Forest
- Melksham Forest compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Melksham Forest
- What happened after crimes were reported in Melksham Forest
- Demographics of Melksham Forest
- Questions about crime in Melksham Forest
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (206), anti-social behaviour (129) and shoplifting (83) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,346th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Melksham Forest | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 587 | 31,724 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.1 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 6,110 | 523,700 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Melksham Forest peaked in the year to August 2020 (735 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (518). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 587 | 96.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 518 | 84.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 598 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 690 | 112.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 591 | 96.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 732 | 119.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 735 | 120.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 730 | 119.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 662 | 108.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 79 |
| July 2026 | 66 |
| June 2026 | 46 |
| May 2026 | 48 |
| April 2026 | 55 |
| March 2026 | 81 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 30 |
| December 2025 | 24 |
| November 2025 | 38 |
| October 2025 | 42 |
| September 2025 | 43 |
Compared with England and Wales, Melksham Forest recorded notably more shoplifting (61% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (37% above the national rate), and notably less public order (26% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 51 to 83 and anti-social behaviour rose from 103 to 129, while public order fell from 45 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 206 | 33.7 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 129 | 21.1 | 15.4 | +25% |
| Shoplifting | 83 | 13.6 | 8.5 | +63% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 51 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Public order | 30 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Burglary | 21 | 3.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 19 | 3.1 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 2.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Melksham Forest has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Melksham Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melksham East | 268 | 44.1 | -54% |
| Melksham South | 377 | 93.9 | -2% |
| Melksham Without North & Shurnhold | 183 | 46.1 | -52% |
| Bowerhill | 170 | 38.0 | -60% |
| Melksham Without West & Rural | 454 | 54.1 | -44% |
| Holt | 237 | 41.5 | -57% |
| Hilperton | 159 | 45.4 | -53% |
| Corsham Without | 292 | 50.6 | -47% |
The 10 locations below account for 60% of the crime recorded in Melksham Forest over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (113).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 113 |
| On or near Parking Area | 50 |
| On or near Bank Street | 38 |
| On or near Pembroke Road | 34 |
| On or near Weavers Crofts | 32 |
| On or near The Friars | 23 |
| On or near Fuller'S Close | 18 |
| On or near Williams Close | 17 |
| On or near Crescent Road | 13 |
| On or near Lincoln Green | 13 |
Of the 458 crimes in Melksham Forest with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 129 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 141 | 30.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 114 | 24.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 108 | 23.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Melksham Forest has an estimated population of 6,110 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%), more social housing (25%, against 17%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (21%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Melksham Forest average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Melksham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Melksham Forest a safe place to live?
Melksham Forest recorded 96.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,346th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Melksham Forest?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 206 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (129).
Is crime in Melksham Forest going up or down?
Recorded crime in Melksham Forest was up 13% on the year before: 587 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 518 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Melksham Forest?
About 6,110 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Melksham Forest?
Melksham Forest is policed by Wiltshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.