Crime in Upton, Wirral: statistics, rates and trends
1,596 crimes were recorded in Upton, Wirral in the 12 months to July 2026, 90.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Upton, Wirral at a glance
- Crime trends in Upton, Wirral
- Types of crime in Upton, Wirral
- Upton, Wirral compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Upton, Wirral
- What happened after crimes were reported in Upton, Wirral
- Population and deprivation in Upton, Wirral
- Questions about crime in Upton, Wirral
- About this data
1,596 crimes were recorded in Upton, Wirral in the 12 months to July 2026, 90.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 13% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 668 reports (42% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Upton, Wirral has the 1,470th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Upton, Wirral | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,596 | 26,231 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 90.8 | 79.8 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 17,570 | 328,873 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Upton, Wirral was highest in the year to July 2022 (2,052 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2019 (1,586). Over the whole period it fell 2%, 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 | 1,596 | 90.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,830 | 104.2 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,593 | 90.7 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 2,010 | 114.4 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 2,052 | 116.8 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,824 | 103.8 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,741 | 99.1 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,586 | 90.3 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,631 | 92.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 138 |
| June 2026 | 142 |
| May 2026 | 111 |
| April 2026 | 113 |
| March 2026 | 141 |
| February 2026 | 134 |
| January 2026 | 123 |
| December 2025 | 128 |
| November 2025 | 139 |
| October 2025 | 138 |
| September 2025 | 139 |
| August 2025 | 150 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Upton, Wirral 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 public order.
The largest increases were in shoplifting (+23%) and other theft (+12%). The largest falls were in criminal damage and arson (-38%) and vehicle crime (-31%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 668 | 38.0 | 1.11 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 286 | 16.3 | 1.06 | +4% |
| Public order | 172 | 9.8 | 1.47 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 118 | 6.7 | 0.99 | -38% |
| Other theft | 81 | 4.6 | 0.72 | +12% |
| Shoplifting | 69 | 3.9 | 0.47 | +23% |
| Drugs | 55 | 3.1 | 0.96 | -25% |
| Burglary | 48 | 2.7 | 0.77 | -9% |
| Other crime | 45 | 2.6 | 1.21 | +0% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 1.1 | 0.23 | -31% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.8 | 0.82 | +17% |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.4 | 0.29 | -22% |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 0.24 | +133% |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.41 | -14% |
Violence and sexual offences in Upton, Wirral
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Upton, Wirral recorded 668 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (38.0 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 13% on the year before. It made up 41.9% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Upton, Wirral
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Upton, Wirral recorded 286 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (16.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 17.9% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Upton, Wirral
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Upton, Wirral recorded 172 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 10.8% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Upton, Wirral
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Upton, Wirral recorded 118 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.7 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 38% on the year before. It made up 7.4% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Upton, Wirral
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Upton, Wirral recorded 81 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 12% on the year before. It made up 5.1% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Upton, Wirral
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Upton, Wirral recorded 69 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 23% on the year before. It made up 4.3% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Upton, Wirral
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Upton, Wirral recorded 55 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 25% on the year before. It made up 3.4% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Upton, Wirral
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Upton, Wirral recorded 48 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 9% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Upton, Wirral
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Upton, Wirral recorded 45 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Upton, Wirral
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Upton, Wirral recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 31% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Upton, Wirral
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Upton, Wirral recorded 14 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Upton, Wirral
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Upton, Wirral recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 22% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Upton, Wirral
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Upton, Wirral recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 133% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Upton, Wirral
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Upton, Wirral recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 14% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Upton, Wirral, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Upton, Wirral.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Upton, Wirral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasby, Frankby and Irby | 411 | 29.0 | -68% |
| Claughton | 1,301 | 86.0 | -5% |
| Moreton West and Saughall Massie | 646 | 48.1 | -47% |
| Bidston and St James | 2,307 | 141.0 | +55% |
| Oxton | 989 | 69.6 | -23% |
| Leasowe and Moreton East | 1,168 | 71.9 | -21% |
| Prenton | 770 | 54.7 | -40% |
| Pensby and Thingwall | 412 | 33.6 | -63% |
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 Upton, Wirral over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 207 |
| On or near Hospital | 206 |
| On or near Parking Area | 55 |
| On or near Whitefield Close | 46 |
| On or near A551 | 36 |
| On or near Ganney'S Meadow Road | 33 |
| On or near Carr Hey Close | 31 |
| On or near Kiln Road | 31 |
| On or near Tinas Way | 31 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 26 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Upton, Wirral 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 | 599 | 37.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 357 | 22.4% |
| Not recorded | 286 | 17.9% |
| Under investigation | 150 | 9.4% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 63 | 3.9% |
| Status update unavailable | 42 | 2.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 40 | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 1.1% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 0.9% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 0.4% |
Upton, Wirral has an estimated population of 17,570. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Upton, Wirral sits in decile 4.1, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Upton, Wirral |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.5% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 58.5% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.6% |
| Social rented homes | 24.6% |
| Private rented homes | 15.6% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 25.6% |
Is Upton, Wirral a safe place to live?
Upton, Wirral recorded 90.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to 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 Upton, Wirral?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 668 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (286).
Is crime in Upton, Wirral going up or down?
Recorded crime in Upton, Wirral was down 13% on the year before: 1,596 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,830 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Upton, Wirral?
Upton, Wirral 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 Upton, Wirral. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.