Crime in Palfrey: statistics, rates and trends
1,497 crimes were recorded in Palfrey in the 12 months to August 2026, 83.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (594), shoplifting (218) and vehicle crime (157) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,712th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Palfrey | Walsall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,497 | 30,674 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.9 | 103.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +20% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 17,837 | 295,678 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Palfrey peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,868 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,249). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,497 | 83.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,249 | 70.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,537 | 86.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,509 | 84.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,729 | 96.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,868 | 104.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,529 | 85.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,463 | 82.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,302 | 73.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 122 |
| July 2026 | 155 |
| June 2026 | 138 |
| May 2026 | 155 |
| April 2026 | 127 |
| March 2026 | 147 |
| February 2026 | 94 |
| January 2026 | 113 |
| December 2025 | 79 |
| November 2025 | 127 |
| October 2025 | 129 |
| September 2025 | 111 |
Compared with England and Wales, Palfrey recorded notably more vehicle crime (77% above the national rate), possession of weapons (62% above the national rate) and shoplifting (45% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (85% below) and burglary (40% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 111 to 218 and drugs rose from 33 to 60, while anti-social behaviour fell from 94 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 594 | 33.3 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 218 | 12.2 | 8.5 | +96% |
| Vehicle crime | 157 | 8.8 | 5.0 | +62% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 125 | 7.0 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Public order | 93 | 5.2 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Other theft | 70 | 3.9 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Drugs | 60 | 3.4 | 3.3 | +82% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 42 | 2.4 | 15.4 | -55% |
| Burglary | 38 | 2.1 | 3.6 | +52% |
| Other crime | 35 | 2.0 | 2.1 | +17% |
| Robbery | 29 | 1.6 | 1.4 | +26% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 1.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Palfrey; the highest is Birchills Leamore (223.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Pheasey Park Farm (40.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Palfrey |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Matthew's | 2,737 | 164.7 | +96% |
| Paddock | 622 | 45.8 | -45% |
| Pleck | 2,483 | 137.5 | +64% |
| Bentley and Darlaston North | 1,786 | 123.1 | +47% |
| Birchills Leamore | 4,333 | 223.6 | +166% |
| Blakenall | 1,862 | 104.9 | +25% |
| Darlaston South | 1,702 | 90.9 | +8% |
| Pheasey Park Farm | 480 | 40.8 | -51% |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Palfrey over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (197).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 197 |
| On or near Britannia Road | 114 |
| On or near Milton Place | 33 |
| On or near Thorpe Road | 33 |
| On or near Walstead Road West | 30 |
| On or near Duchess Road | 29 |
| On or near Pattison Street | 29 |
| On or near South Street | 29 |
| On or near Haskell Street | 27 |
| On or near Victor Street | 27 |
Of the 1,455 crimes in Palfrey with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 42 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 563 | 38.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 544 | 37.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 112 | 7.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 77 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 73 | 5.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 37 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 33 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Palfrey has an estimated population of 17,837 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more unemployed residents (5.7%, against 3.4%), more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%) and more students (12.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Palfrey average decile 1.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Palfrey | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 12.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 62.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Palfrey a safe place to live?
Palfrey recorded 83.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,712th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Palfrey?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 594 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (218).
Is crime in Palfrey going up or down?
Recorded crime in Palfrey was up 20% on the year before: 1,497 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,249 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Palfrey?
About 17,837 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Palfrey?
Palfrey 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.