Crime in Ware Priory: statistics, rates and trends
720 crimes were recorded in Ware Priory in the 12 months to August 2026, 92.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 18% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ware Priory at a glance
- Crime trends in Ware Priory
- Types of crime in Ware Priory
- Ware Priory compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Ware Priory
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ware Priory
- Demographics of Ware Priory
- Questions about crime in Ware Priory
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (284), anti-social behaviour (173) and drugs (41) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,440th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ware Priory | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 720 | 10,712 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 92.0 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +18% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 7,827 | 156,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ware Priory peaked in the year to August 2019 (858 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (608). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 720 | 92.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 608 | 77.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 642 | 82.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 621 | 79.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 643 | 82.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 681 | 87.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 698 | 89.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 858 | 109.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 760 | 97.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 83 |
| July 2026 | 71 |
| June 2026 | 73 |
| May 2026 | 63 |
| April 2026 | 32 |
| March 2026 | 54 |
| February 2026 | 48 |
| January 2026 | 41 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 69 |
| September 2025 | 66 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ware Priory recorded notably more drugs (60% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (44% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (52% below) and criminal damage and arson (49% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 191 to 284, while criminal damage and arson fell from 38 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 284 | 36.3 | 34.2 | +49% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 173 | 22.1 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Drugs | 41 | 5.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other theft | 37 | 4.7 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 37 | 4.7 | 5.0 | -12% |
| Public order | 36 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Shoplifting | 32 | 4.1 | 8.5 | +3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 27 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Burglary | 22 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Robbery | 11 | 1.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ware Priory; the highest is Hertford Castle (149.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Hertford Heath & Brickendon (46.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ware Priory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware Trinity | 311 | 56.4 | -39% |
| Ware St Mary's | 332 | 49.0 | -47% |
| Hertford Kingsmead | 802 | 81.7 | -11% |
| Great Amwell & Stansteads | 334 | 57.4 | -38% |
| Hertford Heath & Brickendon | 167 | 46.6 | -49% |
| Hertford Bengeo | 573 | 58.9 | -36% |
| Hertford Castle | 745 | 149.8 | +63% |
| Hertford Sele | 417 | 64.6 | -30% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Ware Priory over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (103).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 103 |
| On or near Bridge Foot | 45 |
| On or near East Street | 26 |
| On or near West Street | 25 |
| On or near Church Street | 23 |
| On or near Coddington Close | 23 |
| On or near College Close | 22 |
| On or near Grange Gardens | 21 |
| On or near Burgage Lane | 20 |
| On or near Crane Mead | 20 |
Of the 547 crimes in Ware Priory with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 173 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 185 | 33.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 175 | 32.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 73 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 40 | 7.3% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 23 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 13 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Ware Priory has an estimated population of 7,827 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%), less social housing (12%, against 17%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (13%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ware Priory average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ware Priory | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ware Priory a safe place to live?
Ware Priory recorded 92.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,440th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Ware Priory?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 284 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (173).
Is crime in Ware Priory going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ware Priory was up 18% on the year before: 720 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 608 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ware Priory?
About 7,827 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ware Priory?
Ware Priory is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.