Crime in Wakefield South: statistics, rates and trends
2,158 crimes were recorded in Wakefield South in the 12 months to August 2026, 130.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wakefield South at a glance
- Crime trends in Wakefield South
- Types of crime in Wakefield South
- Wakefield South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wakefield South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wakefield South
- Demographics of Wakefield South
- Questions about crime in Wakefield South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (966), anti-social behaviour (229) and public order (179) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 671st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Wakefield South | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,158 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 130.5 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 16,535 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wakefield South peaked in the year to August 2024 (2,374 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (1,758). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,158 | 130.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,173 | 131.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,374 | 143.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,144 | 129.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,758 | 106.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,811 | 109.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,899 | 114.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,969 | 119.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,927 | 116.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 172 |
| July 2026 | 222 |
| June 2026 | 206 |
| May 2026 | 192 |
| April 2026 | 194 |
| March 2026 | 183 |
| February 2026 | 146 |
| January 2026 | 163 |
| December 2025 | 145 |
| November 2025 | 183 |
| October 2025 | 173 |
| September 2025 | 179 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wakefield South recorded notably more burglary (2.0 times the national rate), other crime (92% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (71% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (57% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 51 to 82 and anti-social behaviour rose from 171 to 229, while shoplifting fell from 102 to 60 and robbery fell from 29 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 966 | 58.4 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 229 | 13.8 | 15.4 | +34% |
| Public order | 179 | 10.8 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 169 | 10.2 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Other theft | 140 | 8.5 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Burglary | 117 | 7.1 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Vehicle crime | 92 | 5.6 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Drugs | 82 | 5.0 | 3.3 | +61% |
| Other crime | 67 | 4.1 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 60 | 3.6 | 8.5 | -41% |
| Robbery | 23 | 1.4 | 1.4 | -21% |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wakefield South; the highest is Wakefield East (229.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Crofton, Ryhill and Walton (62.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wakefield South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield East | 3,918 | 229.4 | +76% |
| Wakefield West | 2,475 | 166.6 | +28% |
| Wakefield North | 3,280 | 171.4 | +31% |
| Crofton, Ryhill and Walton | 973 | 62.4 | -52% |
| Wakefield Rural | 1,276 | 71.4 | -45% |
| Horbury and South Ossett | 1,159 | 76.5 | -41% |
| Wrenthorpe and Outwood West | 1,523 | 84.9 | -35% |
| Stanley and Outwood East | 1,580 | 76.8 | -41% |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Wakefield South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Charles Avenue” (125).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Charles Avenue | 125 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 74 |
| On or near Supermarket | 63 |
| On or near Brook Crescent | 50 |
| On or near Sparable Lane | 49 |
| On or near Temple Court | 49 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 42 |
| On or near Frederick Avenue | 39 |
| On or near Little Wood Crescent | 39 |
| On or near Wharncliffe Road | 39 |
Of the 1,929 crimes in Wakefield South with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 229 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 723 | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 646 | 33.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 222 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 94 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 77 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 40 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 37 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 32 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 31 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 20 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Wakefield South has an estimated population of 16,535 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wakefield South average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Wakefield South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Wakefield South a safe place to live?
Wakefield South recorded 130.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 671st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were burglary and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Wakefield South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 966 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (229).
Is crime in Wakefield South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wakefield South was almost unchanged on the year before: 2,158 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,173 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wakefield South?
About 16,535 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wakefield South?
Wakefield South 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.