Crime in The Meres: statistics, rates and trends
96 crimes were recorded in The Meres in the 12 months to August 2026, 31.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 35% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in The Meres at a glance
- Crime trends in The Meres
- Types of crime in The Meres
- The Meres compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in The Meres
- What happened after crimes were reported in The Meres
- Demographics of The Meres
- Questions about crime in The Meres
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (48), burglary (19) and anti-social behaviour (8) made up 78% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,726th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | The Meres | Shropshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 96 | 19,214 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 31.7 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +35% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 3,031 | 332,455 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in The Meres peaked in the year to August 2022 (122 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (70). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 96 | 31.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 71 | 23.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 70 | 23.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 81 | 26.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 122 | 40.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 111 | 36.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 115 | 37.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 95 | 31.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 94 | 31.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 9 |
| June 2026 | 6 |
| May 2026 | 9 |
| April 2026 | 6 |
| March 2026 | 7 |
| February 2026 | 17 |
| January 2026 | 6 |
| December 2025 | 5 |
| November 2025 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 3 |
| September 2025 | 9 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (54% below) was well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 24 to 48.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 48 | 15.8 | 34.2 | +100% |
| Burglary | 19 | 6.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 8 | 2.6 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Other theft | 6 | 2.0 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 6 | 2.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 2 | 0.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 2 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than The Meres; the highest is Harlescott (132.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Ruyton & Baschurch (23.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs The Meres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruyton & Baschurch | 92 | 23.7 | -25% |
| Wem | 565 | 58.7 | +85% |
| Tern | 280 | 51.7 | +63% |
| Loton | 127 | 33.9 | +7% |
| Harlescott | 500 | 132.5 | +318% |
| Shawbury | 124 | 39.2 | +24% |
| Ellesmere Urban | 295 | 57.9 | +83% |
| Battlefield | 414 | 75.4 | +138% |
The 10 locations below account for 60% of the crime recorded in The Meres over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sleap Airfield” (13).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sleap Airfield | 13 |
| On or near Lower Road | 7 |
| On or near Parking Area | 6 |
| On or near Crosemere Lane | 5 |
| On or near Shotton Lane | 5 |
| On or near Shrewsbury Road | 5 |
| On or near The Meadows | 5 |
| On or near Airport/Airfield | 4 |
| On or near Hillside | 4 |
| On or near Kenwick Close | 4 |
The latest recorded outcomes for the 88 crimes in The Meres with one. The 8 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 48 | 54.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 20 | 22.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 10 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 3.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
The Meres has an estimated population of 3,031 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (5.5%, against 23.3%), less social housing (8.3%, against 17.1%) and an older population (28%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up The Meres average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | The Meres | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 5.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is The Meres a safe place to live?
The Meres recorded 31.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,726th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in The Meres?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 48 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by burglary (19).
Is crime in The Meres going up or down?
Recorded crime in The Meres was up 35% on the year before: 96 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 71 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of The Meres?
About 3,031 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers The Meres?
The Meres is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.