Crime in St Oswald, Sefton: statistics, rates and trends
1,598 crimes were recorded in St Oswald, Sefton in the 12 months to August 2026, 143.3 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Oswald, Sefton at a glance
- Crime trends in St Oswald, Sefton
- Types of crime in St Oswald, Sefton
- St Oswald, Sefton compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Oswald, Sefton
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Oswald, Sefton
- Demographics of St Oswald, Sefton
- Questions about crime in St Oswald, Sefton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (610), public order (223) and anti-social behaviour (184) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 493rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | St Oswald, Sefton | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,598 | 24,393 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 143.3 | 85.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 11,152 | 286,281 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Oswald, Sefton peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,682 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (1,386). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,598 | 143.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,453 | 130.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,414 | 126.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,525 | 136.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,682 | 150.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,652 | 148.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,426 | 127.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,386 | 124.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,466 | 131.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 168 |
| July 2026 | 110 |
| June 2026 | 164 |
| May 2026 | 141 |
| April 2026 | 133 |
| March 2026 | 146 |
| February 2026 | 111 |
| January 2026 | 118 |
| December 2025 | 111 |
| November 2025 | 128 |
| October 2025 | 120 |
| September 2025 | 148 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Oswald, Sefton recorded notably more drugs (4.4 times the national rate), public order (3.0 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (2.2 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (54% below) and vehicle crime (51% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 53 to 83 and other crime rose from 35 to 46, while shoplifting fell from 65 to 43.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 610 | 54.7 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Public order | 223 | 20.0 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 184 | 16.5 | 15.4 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 166 | 14.9 | 6.7 | +27% |
| Drugs | 161 | 14.4 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Other theft | 83 | 7.4 | 6.4 | +57% |
| Other crime | 46 | 4.1 | 2.1 | +31% |
| Shoplifting | 43 | 3.9 | 8.5 | -34% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Burglary | 21 | 1.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
St Oswald, Sefton has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Oswald, Sefton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford | 1,385 | 96.3 | -33% |
| Netherton and Orrell | 958 | 78.0 | -46% |
| Manor | 915 | 69.0 | -52% |
| Litherland | 1,187 | 96.4 | -33% |
| Molyneux | 1,002 | 86.5 | -40% |
| Victoria | 657 | 48.7 | -66% |
| Church | 1,196 | 96.9 | -32% |
| Sudell | 844 | 59.1 | -59% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in St Oswald, Sefton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “The Threshers” (104).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near The Threshers | 104 |
| On or near The Marian Square | 95 |
| On or near The Bales | 81 |
| On or near Bowland Drive | 72 |
| On or near Parking Area | 62 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 58 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 55 |
| On or near St Nicholas' Drive | 53 |
| On or near St Patrick'S Drive | 49 |
| On or near Stonyfield | 44 |
Of the 1,414 crimes in St Oswald, Sefton with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 184 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 563 | 39.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 325 | 23.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 205 | 14.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 128 | 9.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 56 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 54 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
St Oswald, Sefton has an estimated population of 11,152 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (32%, against 17%), more households without a car (37%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Oswald, Sefton average decile 2.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Oswald, Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 28.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 37.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 31.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 57.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is St Oswald, Sefton a safe place to live?
St Oswald, Sefton recorded 143.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 493rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and public order.
What is the most common crime in St Oswald, Sefton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 610 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (223).
Is crime in St Oswald, Sefton going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Oswald, Sefton was up 10% on the year before: 1,598 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,453 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Oswald, Sefton?
About 11,152 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Oswald, Sefton?
St Oswald, Sefton 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.