Crime in Oswestry South: statistics, rates and trends
700 crimes were recorded in Oswestry South in the 12 months to August 2026, 136.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Oswestry South at a glance
- Crime trends in Oswestry South
- Types of crime in Oswestry South
- Oswestry South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Oswestry South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Oswestry South
- Demographics of Oswestry South
- Questions about crime in Oswestry South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (273), anti-social behaviour (108) and shoplifting (101) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 591st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Oswestry South | Shropshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 700 | 19,214 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 136.1 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 5,142 | 332,455 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Oswestry South of any year here (700 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 700 | 136.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 708 | 137.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 864 | 168.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,236 | 240.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,065 | 207.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,012 | 196.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 871 | 169.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,078 | 209.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,053 | 204.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 65 |
| July 2026 | 64 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 72 |
| April 2026 | 77 |
| March 2026 | 56 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 62 |
| November 2025 | 52 |
| October 2025 | 53 |
| September 2025 | 46 |
Compared with England and Wales, Oswestry South recorded notably more shoplifting (2.3 times the national rate), public order (61% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (55% above the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 85 to 101, while criminal damage and arson fell from 57 to 45 and public order fell from 68 to 55.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 273 | 53.1 | 34.2 | +13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 108 | 21.0 | 15.4 | -19% |
| Shoplifting | 101 | 19.6 | 8.5 | +19% |
| Public order | 55 | 10.7 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 8.8 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Other theft | 44 | 8.6 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Burglary | 17 | 3.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 3.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 14 | 2.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Oswestry South has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oswestry South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oswestry North | 248 | 55.0 | -60% |
| Oswestry South East | 330 | 89.6 | -34% |
| Oswestry North East | 217 | 44.9 | -67% |
| St Oswald | 145 | 29.5 | -78% |
| Whittington | 201 | 44.5 | -67% |
| Selattyn & Gobowen | 249 | 58.6 | -57% |
| Llanymynech | 133 | 30.9 | -77% |
| St Martin's | 409 | 43.8 | -68% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Oswestry South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nightclub” (62).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nightclub | 62 |
| On or near Bailey Street | 56 |
| On or near Parking Area | 53 |
| On or near Supermarket | 37 |
| On or near B5069 | 35 |
| On or near Albion Hill | 30 |
| On or near Willow Street | 27 |
| On or near Orchard Street | 24 |
| On or near Morda Road | 23 |
| On or near Park Street | 23 |
Of the 592 crimes in Oswestry South with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 108 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 270 | 45.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 142 | 24.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 89 | 15.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Oswestry South has an estimated population of 5,142 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (32%, against 20%), less social housing (8.4%, against 17.1%) and fewer children (13%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Oswestry South average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Oswestry South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 32.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Oswestry South a safe place to live?
Oswestry South recorded 136.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 591st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and public order.
What is the most common crime in Oswestry South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 273 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (108).
Is crime in Oswestry South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oswestry South was down 1% on the year before: 700 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 708 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Oswestry South?
About 5,142 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Oswestry South?
Oswestry South 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.