Crime in Oldbury: statistics, rates and trends
2,051 crimes were recorded in Oldbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 130.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (736), shoplifting (358) and vehicle crime (188) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 677th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Oldbury | Sandwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,051 | 36,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 130.2 | 102.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 15,749 | 353,860 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Oldbury peaked in the year to August 2022 (2,337 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,728). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,051 | 130.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,963 | 124.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,038 | 129.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,148 | 136.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,337 | 148.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,105 | 133.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,728 | 109.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,862 | 118.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,728 | 109.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 231 |
| July 2026 | 180 |
| June 2026 | 187 |
| May 2026 | 162 |
| April 2026 | 181 |
| March 2026 | 197 |
| February 2026 | 156 |
| January 2026 | 147 |
| December 2025 | 152 |
| November 2025 | 163 |
| October 2025 | 143 |
| September 2025 | 152 |
Compared with England and Wales, Oldbury recorded notably more possession of weapons (3.1 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (2.4 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (72% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 35 to 51 and criminal damage and arson rose from 108 to 148, while anti-social behaviour fell from 166 to 67.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 736 | 46.7 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 358 | 22.7 | 8.5 | +21% |
| Vehicle crime | 188 | 11.9 | 5.0 | +13% |
| Public order | 150 | 9.5 | 6.7 | +20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 148 | 9.4 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Other theft | 133 | 8.4 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 67 | 4.3 | 15.4 | -60% |
| Burglary | 64 | 4.1 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Drugs | 51 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +46% |
| Robbery | 49 | 3.1 | 1.4 | -2% |
| Possession of weapons | 47 | 3.0 | 1.0 | +24% |
| Other crime | 37 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -8% |
| Theft from the person | 15 | 1.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Oldbury; the highest is West Bromwich Central (203.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Tividale (66.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oldbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tividale | 811 | 66.2 | -49% |
| Greets Green and Lyng | 2,262 | 139.6 | +7% |
| Great Bridge | 1,412 | 97.5 | -25% |
| Tipton Green | 1,440 | 91.4 | -30% |
| Rowley | 1,014 | 71.7 | -45% |
| Langley | 1,688 | 109.9 | -16% |
| West Bromwich Central | 3,506 | 203.3 | +56% |
| Wednesbury South | 1,528 | 99.0 | -24% |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Oldbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (214).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 214 |
| On or near Supermarket | 126 |
| On or near Jays Avenue | 112 |
| On or near Market Street | 65 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 53 |
| On or near Dudley Road West | 42 |
| On or near Parking Area | 37 |
| On or near Canal Street | 35 |
| On or near Roway Lane | 32 |
| On or near Bromford Road | 30 |
Of the 1,984 crimes in Oldbury with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 67 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 714 | 36.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 704 | 35.5% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 197 | 9.9% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 173 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 75 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 71 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 1.4% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Oldbury has an estimated population of 15,749 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%), a younger population (12%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Oldbury average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Oldbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Oldbury a safe place to live?
Oldbury recorded 130.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 677th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Oldbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 736 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (358).
Is crime in Oldbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oldbury was up 4% on the year before: 2,051 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,963 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Oldbury?
About 15,749 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Oldbury?
Oldbury is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.