Crime in Watling, Dacorum: statistics, rates and trends
482 crimes were recorded in Watling, Dacorum in the 12 months to July 2026, 79.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- 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
- Population and deprivation in Watling, Dacorum
- Questions about crime in Watling, Dacorum
- About this data
482 crimes were recorded in Watling, Dacorum in the 12 months to July 2026, 79.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 11% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 170 reports (35% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Watling, Dacorum has the 1,880th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Watling, Dacorum | Dacorum | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 482 | 13,646 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 79.1 | 84.5 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 6,096 | 161,420 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Watling, Dacorum was highest in the year to July 2025 (544 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2022 (298). Over the whole period it rose 11%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 482 | 79.1 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 544 | 89.2 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 448 | 73.5 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 379 | 62.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 298 | 48.9 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 323 | 53.0 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 342 | 56.1 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 452 | 74.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 436 | 71.5 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 33 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Watling, Dacorum over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for anti-social behaviour.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+25%). The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-61%) and burglary (-48%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 170 | 27.9 | 0.81 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 126 | 20.7 | 1.35 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 7.4 | 1.09 | +0% |
| Other theft | 38 | 6.2 | 0.97 | -42% |
| Vehicle crime | 31 | 5.1 | 1.03 | -61% |
| Public order | 25 | 4.1 | 0.62 | +4% |
| Burglary | 11 | 1.8 | 0.51 | -48% |
| Other crime | 10 | 1.6 | 0.78 | -29% |
| Drugs | 7 | 1.1 | 0.35 | -30% |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 1.1 | 1.18 | +75% |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 1.1 | 0.14 | +17% |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 0.29 | +200% |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 0.24 | -33% |
Violence and sexual offences in Watling, Dacorum
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Watling, Dacorum recorded 170 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (27.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 35.3% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Watling, Dacorum
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Watling, Dacorum recorded 126 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (20.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 25% on the year before. It made up 26.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Watling, Dacorum
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Watling, Dacorum recorded 45 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 9.3% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Watling, Dacorum
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Watling, Dacorum recorded 38 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 42% on the year before. It made up 7.9% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Watling, Dacorum
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Watling, Dacorum recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 61% on the year before. It made up 6.4% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Watling, Dacorum
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Watling, Dacorum recorded 25 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Watling, Dacorum
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Watling, Dacorum recorded 11 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 48% on the year before. It made up 2.3% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Watling, Dacorum
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Watling, Dacorum recorded 10 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 29% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Watling, Dacorum
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Watling, Dacorum recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 30% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Watling, Dacorum
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Watling, Dacorum recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 75% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Watling, Dacorum
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Watling, Dacorum recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Watling, Dacorum
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Watling, Dacorum recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 200% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Watling, Dacorum
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Watling, Dacorum recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 33% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Watling, Dacorum, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Watling, Dacorum.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Watling, Dacorum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodhall Farm | 384 | 62.6 | -21% |
| Grovehill | 671 | 86.7 | +10% |
| Highfield | 670 | 94.4 | +19% |
| Gadebridge | 447 | 80.1 | +1% |
| Adeyfield East | 1,291 | 152.3 | +93% |
| Hemel Hempstead Town | 1,458 | 194.3 | +146% |
| Adeyfield West | 410 | 73.7 | -7% |
| Chaulden and Warners End | 811 | 79.0 | -0% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Watling, Dacorum over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Old Watling Street | 87 |
| On or near Park View Drive | 44 |
| On or near Chequers Hill | 39 |
| On or near Becks Close | 15 |
| On or near Old Vicarage Gardens | 15 |
| On or near High Street | 13 |
| On or near Valley Lane | 13 |
| On or near Fullerton Close | 12 |
| On or near Fleming Drive | 10 |
| On or near Parking Area | 10 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Watling, Dacorum over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Not recorded | 126 | 26.1% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 119 | 24.7% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 119 | 24.7% |
| Under investigation | 42 | 8.7% |
| Local resolution | 27 | 5.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 19 | 3.9% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 3.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.8% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.4% |
Watling, Dacorum has an estimated population of 6,096. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Watling, Dacorum sits in decile 7.1, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Watling, Dacorum |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.3% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 62.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.8% |
| Private rented homes | 11.5% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 |
Is Watling, Dacorum a safe place to live?
Watling, Dacorum recorded 79.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
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 July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (126).
Is crime in Watling, Dacorum going up or down?
Recorded crime in Watling, Dacorum was down 11% on the year before: 482 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 544 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Watling, Dacorum?
Watling, Dacorum is policed by Hertfordshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Watling, Dacorum. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.