Crime in Smethwick, Sandwell: statistics, rates and trends
1,231 crimes were recorded in Smethwick, Sandwell in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.8 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
- Crime in Smethwick, Sandwell at a glance
- Crime trends in Smethwick, Sandwell
- Types of crime in Smethwick, Sandwell
- Smethwick, Sandwell compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Smethwick, Sandwell
- What happened after crimes were reported in Smethwick, Sandwell
- Demographics of Smethwick, Sandwell
- Questions about crime in Smethwick, Sandwell
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (584), criminal damage and arson (104) and vehicle crime (98) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,739th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Smethwick, Sandwell | Sandwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,231 | 36,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.8 | 102.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,872 | 353,860 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Smethwick, Sandwell peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,618 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,075). 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 | 1,231 | 82.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,222 | 82.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,386 | 93.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,386 | 93.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,477 | 99.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,618 | 108.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,323 | 89.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,245 | 83.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,075 | 72.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 102 |
| July 2026 | 129 |
| June 2026 | 100 |
| May 2026 | 89 |
| April 2026 | 118 |
| March 2026 | 97 |
| February 2026 | 89 |
| January 2026 | 84 |
| December 2025 | 89 |
| November 2025 | 114 |
| October 2025 | 107 |
| September 2025 | 113 |
Compared with England and Wales, Smethwick, Sandwell recorded notably more possession of weapons (94% above the national rate), drugs (42% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (33% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (69% below) and shoplifting (63% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 53 to 74 and public order rose from 53 to 64, while anti-social behaviour fell from 104 to 70 and burglary fell from 52 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 584 | 39.3 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 104 | 7.0 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 98 | 6.6 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Other theft | 74 | 5.0 | 6.4 | +40% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 70 | 4.7 | 15.4 | -33% |
| Drugs | 69 | 4.6 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Public order | 64 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Shoplifting | 46 | 3.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 42 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 1.9 | 1.0 | +4% |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.4 | 1.4 | -5% |
| Other crime | 19 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.7 | 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 Smethwick, Sandwell; the highest is West Bromwich Central (203.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Old Warley (68.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Smethwick, Sandwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Pauls | 1,820 | 90.9 | +10% |
| Soho and Victoria | 2,933 | 139.2 | +68% |
| Abbey | 1,193 | 94.7 | +14% |
| Bristnall | 1,119 | 81.6 | -1% |
| Old Warley | 828 | 68.9 | -17% |
| Langley | 1,688 | 109.9 | +33% |
| West Bromwich Central | 3,506 | 203.3 | +146% |
| Greets Green and Lyng | 2,262 | 139.6 | +69% |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Smethwick, Sandwell over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hall Road” (82).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hall Road | 82 |
| On or near Mill Hill | 55 |
| On or near Vicarage Road | 50 |
| On or near Church Hill Street | 47 |
| On or near Queens Close | 41 |
| On or near Stanhope Road | 39 |
| On or near Hales Crescent | 30 |
| On or near Kelia Drive | 30 |
| On or near North Street | 27 |
| On or near Albright Road | 26 |
Of the 1,161 crimes in Smethwick, Sandwell with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 70 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 557 | 48.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 326 | 28.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 75 | 6.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 74 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 67 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 1.5% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
Smethwick, Sandwell has an estimated population of 14,872 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (34%, against 18%), more social housing (32%, against 17%) and more unemployed residents (5.6%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Smethwick, Sandwell average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Smethwick, Sandwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 34.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 37.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 45.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 31.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 15.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Smethwick, Sandwell a safe place to live?
Smethwick, Sandwell recorded 82.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,739th 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 drugs.
What is the most common crime in Smethwick, Sandwell?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 584 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (104).
Is crime in Smethwick, Sandwell going up or down?
Recorded crime in Smethwick, Sandwell was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,231 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,222 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Smethwick, Sandwell?
About 14,872 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Smethwick, Sandwell?
Smethwick, Sandwell 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.