Crime in Melksham Without West & Rural: statistics, rates and trends
458 crimes were recorded in Melksham Without West & Rural in the 12 months to July 2026, 54.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Melksham Without West & Rural at a glance
- Crime trends in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Types of crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Melksham Without West & Rural compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
- What happened after crimes were reported in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Population and deprivation in Melksham Without West & Rural
- Questions about crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
- About this data
458 crimes were recorded in Melksham Without West & Rural in the 12 months to July 2026, 54.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 2% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 200 reports (44% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Melksham Without West & Rural has the 2,836th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Melksham Without West & Rural | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 458 | 31,787 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.6 | 60.7 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 8,394 | 523,700 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Melksham Without West & Rural was highest in the year to July 2026 (458 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2024 (363). Over the whole period it rose 2%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 458 | 54.6 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 450 | 53.6 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 363 | 43.2 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 406 | 48.4 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 384 | 45.7 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 388 | 46.2 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 377 | 44.9 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 372 | 44.3 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 451 | 53.7 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 45 |
| June 2026 | 50 |
| May 2026 | 42 |
| April 2026 | 49 |
| March 2026 | 45 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 42 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 30 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
| August 2025 | 44 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Melksham Without West & Rural over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+36%).
The largest falls were in other crime (-60%) and vehicle crime (-19%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 200 | 23.8 | 0.70 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 79 | 9.4 | 0.61 | +36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 46 | 5.5 | 0.81 | -8% |
| Public order | 42 | 5.0 | 0.75 | -11% |
| Other theft | 25 | 3.0 | 0.47 | -17% |
| Drugs | 22 | 2.6 | 0.80 | +38% |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 2.0 | 0.41 | -19% |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.7 | 0.47 | +8% |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.0 | 0.45 | -60% |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.4 | 0.37 | -25% |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.14 | -67% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 0.07 | +0% |
Violence and sexual offences in Melksham Without West & Rural
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 200 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (23.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 8% on the year before. It made up 43.7% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Melksham Without West & Rural
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 79 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 36% on the year before. It made up 17.2% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Melksham Without West & Rural
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 46 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 10.0% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Melksham Without West & Rural
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 42 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 9.2% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Melksham Without West & Rural
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 25 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 5.5% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Melksham Without West & Rural
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 22 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 38% on the year before. It made up 4.8% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 19% on the year before. It made up 3.7% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Melksham Without West & Rural
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 14 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 8% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Melksham Without West & Rural
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 60% on the year before. It made up 1.7% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Melksham Without West & Rural
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 25% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Melksham Without West & Rural
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 67% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Melksham Without West & Rural
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Melksham Without West & Rural, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Melksham Without West & Rural.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Melksham Without West & Rural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilperton | 150 | 42.8 | -22% |
| Bowerhill | 168 | 37.6 | -31% |
| Melksham South | 371 | 92.4 | +69% |
| Trowbridge Paxcroft | 251 | 41.6 | -24% |
| Holt | 234 | 41.0 | -25% |
| Melksham East | 271 | 44.6 | -18% |
| Trowbridge Park | 336 | 68.0 | +25% |
| Melksham Forest | 550 | 90.0 | +65% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Melksham Without West & Rural over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shails Lane | 120 |
| On or near Parking Area | 27 |
| On or near Smeaton Way | 27 |
| On or near Semington Road | 22 |
| On or near Hastings Road | 16 |
| On or near Manor Close | 15 |
| On or near Whaddon Lane | 12 |
| On or near Dowding Way | 9 |
| On or near Newleaze | 9 |
| On or near Helliker Close | 8 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Melksham Without West & Rural over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 124 | 27.1% |
| Not recorded | 79 | 17.2% |
| Under investigation | 73 | 15.9% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 67 | 14.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 30 | 6.6% |
| Status update unavailable | 21 | 4.6% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 4.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 3.9% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 2.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 2.0% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.7% |
Melksham Without West & Rural has an estimated population of 8,394. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Melksham Without West & Rural sits in decile 6.4, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Melksham Without West & Rural |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 56.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.6% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.2% |
| Social rented homes | 12.4% |
| Private rented homes | 11.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 |
Is Melksham Without West & Rural a safe place to live?
Melksham Without West & Rural recorded 54.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Melksham Without West & Rural?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 200 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (79).
Is crime in Melksham Without West & Rural going up or down?
Recorded crime in Melksham Without West & Rural was up 2% on the year before: 458 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 450 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Melksham Without West & Rural?
Melksham Without West & Rural is policed by Wiltshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Melksham Without West & Rural. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.