Crime in West Bromwich Central: statistics, rates and trends
3,506 crimes were recorded in West Bromwich Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 203.3 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 West Bromwich Central at a glance
- Crime trends in West Bromwich Central
- Types of crime in West Bromwich Central
- West Bromwich Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Bromwich Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Bromwich Central
- Demographics of West Bromwich Central
- Questions about crime in West Bromwich Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,507), shoplifting (400) and vehicle crime (296) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 192nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | West Bromwich Central | Sandwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,506 | 36,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 203.3 | 102.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 17,245 | 353,860 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Bromwich Central peaked in the year to August 2023 (4,230 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (2,920). 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 | 3,506 | 203.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,489 | 202.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,827 | 221.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,230 | 245.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,147 | 240.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,697 | 214.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,920 | 169.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,032 | 175.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,420 | 198.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 294 |
| July 2026 | 320 |
| June 2026 | 285 |
| May 2026 | 300 |
| April 2026 | 306 |
| March 2026 | 301 |
| February 2026 | 259 |
| January 2026 | 270 |
| December 2025 | 277 |
| November 2025 | 281 |
| October 2025 | 321 |
| September 2025 | 292 |
Compared with England and Wales, West Bromwich Central recorded notably more possession of weapons (5.3 times the national rate), robbery (3.8 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (3.5 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (65% below) and burglary (22% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 234 to 296 and public order rose from 186 to 233, while anti-social behaviour fell from 292 to 92 and burglary fell from 143 to 48.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,507 | 87.4 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 400 | 23.2 | 8.5 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 296 | 17.2 | 5.0 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 235 | 13.6 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Public order | 233 | 13.5 | 6.7 | +25% |
| Other theft | 222 | 12.9 | 6.4 | -8% |
| Drugs | 175 | 10.1 | 3.3 | +17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 92 | 5.3 | 15.4 | -68% |
| Robbery | 89 | 5.2 | 1.4 | -18% |
| Possession of weapons | 88 | 5.1 | 1.0 | +10% |
| Theft from the person | 54 | 3.1 | 1.7 | -16% |
| Burglary | 48 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -66% |
| Other crime | 47 | 2.7 | 2.1 | -11% |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
West Bromwich Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Bromwich Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greets Green and Lyng | 2,262 | 139.6 | -31% |
| Hateley Heath | 1,420 | 87.7 | -57% |
| St Pauls | 1,820 | 90.9 | -55% |
| Charlemont with Grove Vale | 1,002 | 79.8 | -61% |
| Wednesbury South | 1,528 | 99.0 | -51% |
| Oldbury | 2,051 | 130.2 | -36% |
| Smethwick | 1,231 | 82.8 | -59% |
| Great Bridge | 1,412 | 97.5 | -52% |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in West Bromwich Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “High Street” (329).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near High Street | 329 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 320 |
| On or near Parking Area | 313 |
| On or near Supermarket | 251 |
| On or near New Street | 140 |
| On or near Hospital | 112 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 68 |
| On or near Green Street | 59 |
| On or near Alba Road | 57 |
| On or near Normans Drive | 56 |
Of the 3,414 crimes in West Bromwich Central with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 92 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,249 | 36.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,210 | 35.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 260 | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 231 | 6.8% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 214 | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 139 | 4.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 56 | 1.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 27 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 27 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
West Bromwich Central has an estimated population of 17,245 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (34%, against 17%), more unemployed residents (6.6%, against 3.4%) and more households without a car (43%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Bromwich Central average decile 2.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | West Bromwich Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 42.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 41.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 34.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 27.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is West Bromwich Central a safe place to live?
West Bromwich Central recorded 203.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 192nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and robbery.
What is the most common crime in West Bromwich Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,507 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (400).
Is crime in West Bromwich Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Bromwich Central was almost unchanged on the year before: 3,506 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,489 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Bromwich Central?
About 17,245 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Bromwich Central?
West Bromwich Central is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.