Crime in Watling, Dacorum: statistics, rates and trends
487 crimes were recorded in Watling, Dacorum in the 12 months to August 2026, 79.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Watling, Dacorum at a glance
- Crime trends in Watling, Dacorum
- Types of crime in Watling, Dacorum
- Watling, Dacorum compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Watling, Dacorum
- What happened after crimes were reported in Watling, Dacorum
- Demographics of Watling, Dacorum
- Questions about crime in Watling, Dacorum
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (170), anti-social behaviour (125) and criminal damage and arson (44) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,847th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Watling, Dacorum | Dacorum | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 487 | 13,768 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 79.9 | 85.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 6,096 | 161,420 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Watling, Dacorum peaked in the year to August 2025 (538 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (300). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 3%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 487 | 79.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 538 | 88.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 464 | 76.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 366 | 60.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 300 | 49.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 328 | 53.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 340 | 55.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 415 | 68.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 474 | 77.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 38 |
| July 2026 | 37 |
| June 2026 | 46 |
| May 2026 | 60 |
| April 2026 | 55 |
| March 2026 | 41 |
| February 2026 | 33 |
| January 2026 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 33 |
| November 2025 | 30 |
| October 2025 | 37 |
| September 2025 | 42 |
Compared with England and Wales, Watling, Dacorum recorded notably more vehicle crime (42% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (33% above the national rate), and notably less public order (41% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 105 to 125, while vehicle crime fell from 77 to 43 and other theft fell from 56 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 170 | 27.9 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 125 | 20.5 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 44 | 7.2 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 43 | 7.1 | 5.0 | -44% |
| Other theft | 37 | 6.1 | 6.4 | -34% |
| Public order | 24 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other crime | 12 | 2.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 10 | 1.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 7 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 4 | 0.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Watling, Dacorum; the highest is Hemel Hempstead Town (195.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Woodhall Farm (63.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Watling, Dacorum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodhall Farm | 387 | 63.1 | -21% |
| Grovehill | 676 | 87.4 | +9% |
| Highfield | 701 | 98.7 | +24% |
| Gadebridge | 456 | 81.7 | +2% |
| Adeyfield East | 1,300 | 153.4 | +92% |
| Hemel Hempstead Town | 1,468 | 195.6 | +145% |
| Adeyfield West | 403 | 72.5 | -9% |
| Chaulden and Warners End | 809 | 78.8 | -1% |
The 10 locations below account for 55% of the crime recorded in Watling, Dacorum over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Old Watling Street” (86).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Old Watling Street | 86 |
| On or near Chequers Hill | 51 |
| On or near Park View Drive | 41 |
| On or near Becks Close | 15 |
| On or near Fullerton Close | 15 |
| On or near Old Vicarage Gardens | 15 |
| On or near Valley Lane | 15 |
| On or near High Street | 13 |
| On or near The Flintings | 10 |
| On or near Parking Area | 9 |
Of the 362 crimes in Watling, Dacorum with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 125 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 122 | 33.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 121 | 33.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 42 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 27 | 7.5% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 19 | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
Watling, Dacorum has an estimated population of 6,096 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (7.8%, against 23.3%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Watling, Dacorum average decile 7.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Watling, Dacorum | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Watling, Dacorum a safe place to live?
Watling, Dacorum recorded 79.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,847th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Watling, Dacorum?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 170 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (125).
Is crime in Watling, Dacorum going up or down?
Recorded crime in Watling, Dacorum was down 9% on the year before: 487 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 538 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Watling, Dacorum?
About 6,096 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Watling, Dacorum?
Watling, Dacorum 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.