Crime in Meole: statistics, rates and trends
356 crimes were recorded in Meole in the 12 months to August 2026, 113.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (123), shoplifting (96), anti-social behaviour (33) and criminal damage and arson (33) made up 80% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 951st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Meole | Shropshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 356 | 19,214 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.0 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 3,151 | 332,455 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Meole of any year here (356 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 356 | 113.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 446 | 141.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 476 | 151.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 446 | 141.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 374 | 118.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 441 | 140.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 373 | 118.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 492 | 156.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 445 | 141.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 27 |
| July 2026 | 30 |
| June 2026 | 34 |
| May 2026 | 24 |
| April 2026 | 32 |
| March 2026 | 36 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 17 |
| December 2025 | 31 |
| November 2025 | 36 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
Compared with England and Wales, Meole recorded notably more shoplifting (3.6 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (55% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (32% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 22 to 33, while anti-social behaviour fell from 61 to 33 and shoplifting fell from 119 to 96.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 123 | 39.0 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Shoplifting | 96 | 30.5 | 8.5 | -19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 33 | 10.5 | 15.4 | -46% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 33 | 10.5 | 6.7 | +50% |
| Public order | 22 | 7.0 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Burglary | 14 | 4.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 12 | 3.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 1.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 2 | 0.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Meole; the highest is Quarry & Coton Hill (338.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Radbrook (21.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Meole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Vue | 222 | 47.7 | -58% |
| Bayston Hill | 157 | 30.5 | -73% |
| Radbrook | 165 | 21.6 | -81% |
| Oteley & Reabrook | 198 | 61.7 | -45% |
| Column & Sutton | 226 | 58.0 | -49% |
| Porthill | 219 | 57.0 | -50% |
| Quarry & Coton Hill | 1,569 | 338.5 | +200% |
| Abbey | 331 | 51.9 | -54% |
The 10 locations below account for 74% of the crime recorded in Meole over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (76).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 76 |
| On or near Parking Area | 69 |
| On or near Stapleton Road | 26 |
| On or near Chilton Close | 18 |
| On or near Bank Drive | 16 |
| On or near Knolls Farm Close | 14 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 14 |
| On or near Mill Road | 12 |
| On or near Moneybrook Way | 10 |
| On or near Victoria Road | 10 |
Of the 323 crimes in Meole with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% 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 | 122 | 37.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 105 | 32.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 7.4% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.6% | 3.1% |
Meole has an estimated population of 3,151 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (27%, against 17%), less private renting (9.0%, against 20.3%) and fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Meole average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Meole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Meole a safe place to live?
Meole recorded 113.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 951st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Meole?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 123 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (96).
Is crime in Meole going up or down?
Recorded crime in Meole was down 20% on the year before: 356 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 446 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Meole?
About 3,151 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Meole?
Meole is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.