Crime in St Oswald, Sefton: statistics, rates and trends
1,547 crimes were recorded in St Oswald, Sefton in the 12 months to July 2026, 138.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- 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
- Population and deprivation in St Oswald, Sefton
- Questions about crime in St Oswald, Sefton
- About this data
1,547 crimes were recorded in St Oswald, Sefton in the 12 months to July 2026, 138.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 6% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 594 reports (38% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, St Oswald, Sefton has the 549th highest crime rate.
| Measure | St Oswald, Sefton | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,547 | 24,388 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 138.7 | 85.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 11,152 | 286,281 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in St Oswald, Sefton was highest in the year to July 2022 (1,710 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2019 (1,390). Over the whole period it rose 4%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,547 | 138.7 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,459 | 130.8 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,427 | 128.0 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,522 | 136.5 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,710 | 153.3 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,616 | 144.9 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,432 | 128.4 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,390 | 124.6 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,488 | 133.4 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 117 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in St Oswald, Sefton over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, public order, criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in other theft (+58%) and other crime (+29%). The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-32%) and shoplifting (-22%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 594 | 53.3 | 1.56 | +2% |
| Public order | 210 | 18.8 | 2.83 | +17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 177 | 15.9 | 1.03 | -8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 162 | 14.5 | 2.14 | +26% |
| Drugs | 154 | 13.8 | 4.22 | +5% |
| Other theft | 79 | 7.1 | 1.11 | +58% |
| Shoplifting | 47 | 4.2 | 0.51 | -22% |
| Other crime | 45 | 4.0 | 1.91 | +29% |
| Vehicle crime | 25 | 2.2 | 0.46 | -32% |
| Burglary | 20 | 1.8 | 0.51 | -5% |
| Robbery | 13 | 1.2 | 0.86 | +160% |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.0 | 1.02 | -15% |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.6 | 0.76 | +17% |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 0.16 | n/a |
Violence and sexual offences in St Oswald, Sefton
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 594 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (53.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 38.4% of all crime in the area.
Public order in St Oswald, Sefton
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 210 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (18.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 13.6% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in St Oswald, Sefton
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 177 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (15.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 11.4% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in St Oswald, Sefton
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 162 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (14.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 26% on the year before. It made up 10.5% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in St Oswald, Sefton
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 154 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (13.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 10.0% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in St Oswald, Sefton
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 79 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 58% on the year before. It made up 5.1% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in St Oswald, Sefton
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 47 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 22% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in St Oswald, Sefton
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 45 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 29% on the year before. It made up 2.9% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in St Oswald, Sefton
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 25 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 32% on the year before. It made up 1.6% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in St Oswald, Sefton
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in St Oswald, Sefton
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 13 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 160% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in St Oswald, Sefton
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 11 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 15% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in St Oswald, Sefton
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in St Oswald, Sefton
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. St Oswald, Sefton recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to St Oswald, Sefton, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to St Oswald, Sefton.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Oswald, Sefton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford | 1,401 | 97.4 | -30% |
| Netherton and Orrell | 969 | 78.9 | -43% |
| Manor | 907 | 68.4 | -51% |
| Litherland | 1,202 | 97.7 | -30% |
| Molyneux | 983 | 84.8 | -39% |
| Victoria | 639 | 47.4 | -66% |
| Church | 1,209 | 98.0 | -29% |
| Sudell | 848 | 59.4 | -57% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in St Oswald, Sefton over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near The Marian Square | 96 |
| On or near The Threshers | 91 |
| On or near The Bales | 76 |
| On or near Bowland Drive | 70 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 57 |
| On or near Parking Area | 54 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 47 |
| On or near St Patrick'S Drive | 47 |
| On or near Whalley Court | 46 |
| On or near St Nicholas' Drive | 44 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in St Oswald, Sefton over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 567 | 36.7% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 320 | 20.7% |
| Under investigation | 182 | 11.8% |
| Not recorded | 177 | 11.4% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 133 | 8.6% |
| Local resolution | 51 | 3.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 46 | 3.0% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 2.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.4% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.2% |
St Oswald, Sefton has an estimated population of 11,152. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in St Oswald, Sefton sits in decile 2.3, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | St Oswald, Sefton |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 62.1% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.4% |
| Social rented homes | 31.8% |
| Private rented homes | 13.7% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.3 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 57.1% |
Is St Oswald, Sefton a safe place to live?
St Oswald, Sefton recorded 138.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in St Oswald, Sefton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 594 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by public order (210).
Is crime in St Oswald, Sefton going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Oswald, Sefton was up 6% on the year before: 1,547 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,459 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers St Oswald, Sefton?
St Oswald, Sefton is policed by Merseyside. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to St Oswald, Sefton. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.