Crime in Wakefield East: statistics, rates and trends
3,918 crimes were recorded in Wakefield East in the 12 months to August 2026, 229.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wakefield East at a glance
- Crime trends in Wakefield East
- Types of crime in Wakefield East
- Wakefield East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wakefield East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wakefield East
- Demographics of Wakefield East
- Questions about crime in Wakefield East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,497), shoplifting (482) and anti-social behaviour (349) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 144th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Wakefield East | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,918 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 229.4 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 17,083 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Wakefield East of any year here (3,918 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,918 | 229.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,364 | 255.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,357 | 255.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,480 | 320.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,785 | 338.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,590 | 268.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,718 | 276.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,096 | 298.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,914 | 287.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 374 |
| July 2026 | 353 |
| June 2026 | 404 |
| May 2026 | 294 |
| April 2026 | 336 |
| March 2026 | 309 |
| February 2026 | 255 |
| January 2026 | 320 |
| December 2025 | 306 |
| November 2025 | 293 |
| October 2025 | 363 |
| September 2025 | 311 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wakefield East recorded notably more drugs (4.0 times the national rate), robbery (3.7 times the national rate) and shoplifting (3.3 times the national rate). On the year before, robbery rose from 72 to 85, while bicycle theft fell from 35 to 22 and public order fell from 434 to 333.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,497 | 87.6 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 482 | 28.2 | 8.5 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 349 | 20.4 | 15.4 | -7% |
| Public order | 333 | 19.5 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 237 | 13.9 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Other theft | 232 | 13.6 | 6.4 | -11% |
| Drugs | 225 | 13.2 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 129 | 7.6 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Burglary | 123 | 7.2 | 3.6 | -22% |
| Other crime | 105 | 6.1 | 2.1 | -15% |
| Robbery | 85 | 5.0 | 1.4 | +18% |
| Possession of weapons | 54 | 3.2 | 1.0 | -5% |
| Theft from the person | 45 | 2.6 | 1.7 | -18% |
| Bicycle theft | 22 | 1.3 | 0.8 | -37% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Wakefield East has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wakefield East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield North | 3,280 | 171.4 | -25% |
| Wakefield West | 2,475 | 166.6 | -27% |
| Wakefield South | 2,158 | 130.5 | -43% |
| Stanley and Outwood East | 1,580 | 76.8 | -66% |
| Wrenthorpe and Outwood West | 1,523 | 84.9 | -63% |
| Normanton | 1,864 | 101.1 | -56% |
| Horbury and South Ossett | 1,159 | 76.5 | -67% |
| Crofton, Ryhill and Walton | 973 | 62.4 | -73% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Wakefield East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (250).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 250 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 205 |
| On or near Ings Road | 194 |
| On or near Parking Area | 155 |
| On or near West Parade Street | 85 |
| On or near Arundel Close | 81 |
| On or near Wonder Street | 80 |
| On or near Avison Yard | 75 |
| On or near Earl Street | 75 |
| On or near Westmorland Street | 67 |
Of the 3,569 crimes in Wakefield East with a recorded outcome, 30% 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 349 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,167 | 32.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,067 | 29.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 419 | 11.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 325 | 9.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 163 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 157 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 155 | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 43 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 29 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 25 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Wakefield East has an estimated population of 17,083 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (39%, against 17%), more households without a car (40%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wakefield East average decile 1.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Wakefield East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 40.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 36.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 38.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 50.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Wakefield East a safe place to live?
Wakefield East recorded 229.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 144th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and robbery.
What is the most common crime in Wakefield East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,497 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (482).
Is crime in Wakefield East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wakefield East was down 10% on the year before: 3,918 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,364 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wakefield East?
About 17,083 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wakefield East?
Wakefield East is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.