Crime in Prenton: statistics, rates and trends
778 crimes were recorded in Prenton in the 12 months to August 2026, 55.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (380), public order (70) and anti-social behaviour (58) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,817th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Prenton | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 778 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 55.2 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,087 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Prenton peaked in the year to August 2021 (972 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (715). 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 | 778 | 55.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 780 | 55.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 715 | 50.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 968 | 68.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 939 | 66.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 972 | 69.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 891 | 63.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 794 | 56.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 969 | 68.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 71 |
| July 2026 | 80 |
| June 2026 | 67 |
| May 2026 | 60 |
| April 2026 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 54 |
| February 2026 | 63 |
| January 2026 | 62 |
| December 2025 | 70 |
| November 2025 | 58 |
| October 2025 | 75 |
| September 2025 | 50 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (73% below) and shoplifting (64% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 40 to 50, while drugs fell from 42 to 27 and criminal damage and arson fell from 78 to 51.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 380 | 27.0 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Public order | 70 | 5.0 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 58 | 4.1 | 15.4 | -26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 51 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -35% |
| Other theft | 50 | 3.5 | 6.4 | +25% |
| Shoplifting | 43 | 3.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 33 | 2.3 | 5.0 | +6% |
| Drugs | 27 | 1.9 | 3.3 | -36% |
| Other crime | 27 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 25 | 1.8 | 3.6 | -14% |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Prenton; 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 Prenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxton | 970 | 68.3 | +24% |
| Birkenhead and Tranmere | 4,562 | 254.1 | +360% |
| Rock Ferry | 1,640 | 100.7 | +82% |
| Claughton | 1,304 | 86.2 | +56% |
| Bebington | 729 | 48.0 | -13% |
| Bidston and St James | 2,297 | 140.4 | +154% |
| Upton | 1,582 | 90.0 | +63% |
| Bromborough | 1,445 | 85.2 | +54% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Prenton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Borough Road” (35).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Borough Road | 35 |
| On or near Parkend Road | 29 |
| On or near Goldsmith Way | 27 |
| On or near Parkhurst Road | 27 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 26 |
| On or near St Georges Gardens | 25 |
| On or near Mount Road | 22 |
| On or near Mendip Road | 19 |
| On or near Prenton Dell Road | 18 |
| On or near Westbank Road | 18 |
Of the 720 crimes in Prenton with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 58 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 359 | 49.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 187 | 26.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 68 | 9.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 34 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 2.6% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 13 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Prenton has an estimated population of 14,087 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (11%, against 17%), fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (16%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Prenton average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Prenton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Prenton a safe place to live?
Prenton recorded 55.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,817th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Prenton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 380 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (70).
Is crime in Prenton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Prenton was almost unchanged on the year before: 778 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 780 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Prenton?
About 14,087 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Prenton?
Prenton 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.