Crime in Wakefield West: statistics, rates and trends
2,475 crimes were recorded in Wakefield West in the 12 months to August 2026, 166.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wakefield West at a glance
- Crime trends in Wakefield West
- Types of crime in Wakefield West
- Wakefield West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wakefield West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wakefield West
- Demographics of Wakefield West
- Questions about crime in Wakefield West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,049), anti-social behaviour (267) and shoplifting (240) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 322nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Wakefield West | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,475 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 166.6 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 14,854 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wakefield West peaked in the year to August 2023 (3,157 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (2,466). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it was almost unchanged, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,475 | 166.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,711 | 182.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,906 | 195.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,157 | 212.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,104 | 209.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,658 | 178.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,569 | 173.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,520 | 169.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,466 | 166.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 193 |
| July 2026 | 262 |
| June 2026 | 240 |
| May 2026 | 260 |
| April 2026 | 199 |
| March 2026 | 220 |
| February 2026 | 173 |
| January 2026 | 190 |
| December 2025 | 175 |
| November 2025 | 219 |
| October 2025 | 183 |
| September 2025 | 161 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wakefield West recorded notably more other crime (2.9 times the national rate), violence and sexual offences (2.1 times the national rate) and shoplifting (91% above the national rate). On the year before, robbery rose from 23 to 37 and shoplifting rose from 197 to 240, while other theft fell from 225 to 146 and drugs fell from 77 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,049 | 70.6 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 267 | 18.0 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 240 | 16.2 | 8.5 | +22% |
| Public order | 180 | 12.1 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 171 | 11.5 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other theft | 146 | 9.8 | 6.4 | -35% |
| Vehicle crime | 96 | 6.5 | 5.0 | -16% |
| Burglary | 91 | 6.1 | 3.6 | -5% |
| Other crime | 90 | 6.1 | 2.1 | +10% |
| Drugs | 63 | 4.2 | 3.3 | -18% |
| Robbery | 37 | 2.5 | 1.4 | +61% |
| Bicycle theft | 19 | 1.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 11 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wakefield West; the highest is Wakefield East (229.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Wakefield Rural (71.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wakefield West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield North | 3,280 | 171.4 | +3% |
| Horbury and South Ossett | 1,159 | 76.5 | -54% |
| Wakefield East | 3,918 | 229.4 | +38% |
| Wakefield South | 2,158 | 130.5 | -22% |
| Wrenthorpe and Outwood West | 1,523 | 84.9 | -49% |
| Ossett | 1,305 | 78.9 | -53% |
| Wakefield Rural | 1,276 | 71.4 | -57% |
| Stanley and Outwood East | 1,580 | 76.8 | -54% |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Wakefield West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (192).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 192 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 144 |
| On or near Lawefield Way | 71 |
| On or near Roundwood Rise | 58 |
| On or near Parking Area | 51 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 48 |
| On or near Snapethorpe Crescent | 46 |
| On or near Cobb Avenue | 45 |
| On or near Cedar View | 40 |
| On or near Esther Grove | 40 |
Of the 2,208 crimes in Wakefield West with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 267 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 822 | 37.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 712 | 32.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 291 | 13.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 127 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 91 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 49 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 42 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 30 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 18 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Wakefield West has an estimated population of 14,854 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (39%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wakefield West average decile 2.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Wakefield West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 49.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 38.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 47.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Wakefield West a safe place to live?
Wakefield West recorded 166.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 322nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Wakefield West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,049 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (267).
Is crime in Wakefield West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wakefield West was down 9% on the year before: 2,475 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,711 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wakefield West?
About 14,854 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wakefield West?
Wakefield West 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.