Crime in Oxton: statistics, rates and trends
970 crimes were recorded in Oxton in the 12 months to August 2026, 68.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (351), anti-social behaviour (120) and criminal damage and arson (93) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,303rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Oxton | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 970 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 68.3 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,209 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Oxton peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,384 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (846). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 30%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 970 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 930 | 65.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 846 | 59.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,038 | 73.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,156 | 81.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,278 | 89.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,187 | 83.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,093 | 76.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,384 | 97.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 73 |
| July 2026 | 78 |
| June 2026 | 104 |
| May 2026 | 104 |
| April 2026 | 88 |
| March 2026 | 76 |
| February 2026 | 65 |
| January 2026 | 66 |
| December 2025 | 89 |
| November 2025 | 84 |
| October 2025 | 70 |
| September 2025 | 73 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (45% below) and other theft (44% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 40 to 84 and anti-social behaviour rose from 70 to 120, while public order fell from 112 to 78 and other crime fell from 25 to 20.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 351 | 24.7 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 120 | 8.4 | 15.4 | +71% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 93 | 6.5 | 6.7 | +31% |
| Shoplifting | 84 | 5.9 | 8.5 | +110% |
| Public order | 78 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Vehicle crime | 53 | 3.7 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Other theft | 51 | 3.6 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Drugs | 49 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Burglary | 38 | 2.7 | 3.6 | +6% |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.4 | 2.1 | -20% |
| Robbery | 15 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Oxton; the highest is Birkenhead and Tranmere (254.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Bebington, Wirral (48.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claughton | 1,304 | 86.2 | +26% |
| Prenton | 778 | 55.2 | -19% |
| Birkenhead and Tranmere | 4,562 | 254.1 | +272% |
| Bidston and St James | 2,297 | 140.4 | +106% |
| Upton | 1,582 | 90.0 | +32% |
| Rock Ferry | 1,640 | 100.7 | +47% |
| Bebington | 729 | 48.0 | -30% |
| Seacombe | 2,127 | 135.8 | +99% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Oxton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (106).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 106 |
| On or near Cartmel Close | 64 |
| On or near Kings Mount | 58 |
| On or near Brimstage Street | 44 |
| On or near Barnard Road | 40 |
| On or near Parking Area | 28 |
| On or near James Street | 26 |
| On or near Arnside Road | 22 |
| On or near Duck Pond Lane | 20 |
| On or near Carnforth Close | 19 |
Of the 850 crimes in Oxton with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 120 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 352 | 41.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 258 | 30.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 94 | 11.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 69 | 8.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 22 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Oxton has an estimated population of 14,209 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (9.3%, against 17.1%), an older population (27%, against 19%) and fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Oxton average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Oxton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Oxton a safe place to live?
Oxton recorded 68.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,303rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Oxton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 351 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (120).
Is crime in Oxton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oxton was up 4% on the year before: 970 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 930 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Oxton?
About 14,209 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Oxton?
Oxton is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.