Crime in the West Midlands Police area: statistics, rates and trends
322,332 crimes were recorded in the West Midlands Police area in the 12 months to July 2026, 106.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in the West Midlands Police area at a glance
- Crime trends in the West Midlands Police area
- Types of crime in the West Midlands Police area
- The West Midlands Police area compared with nearby police force areas
- Areas within the West Midlands Police area
- What happened after crimes were reported in the West Midlands Police area
- Population and deprivation in the West Midlands Police area
- Questions about crime in the West Midlands Police area
- About this data
322,332 crimes were recorded in the West Midlands Police area in the 12 months to July 2026, 106.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 136,133 reports (42% of the total).
Of the 42 police force areas covered by this site, the West Midlands Police area has the 8th highest crime rate.
| Measure | the West Midlands Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 322,332 | 5,360,756 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 106.1 | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 3,036,605 | 55,610,437 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in the West Midlands Police area was highest in the year to July 2022 (392,331 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (291,411). 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 | 322,332 | 106.1 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 331,818 | 109.3 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 350,579 | 115.5 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 377,478 | 124.3 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 392,331 | 129.2 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 366,589 | 120.7 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 297,251 | 97.9 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 301,859 | 99.4 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 291,411 | 96.0 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 31,409 |
| June 2026 | 28,834 |
| May 2026 | 28,676 |
| April 2026 | 26,706 |
| March 2026 | 27,284 |
| February 2026 | 23,873 |
| January 2026 | 24,464 |
| December 2025 | 24,473 |
| November 2025 | 25,894 |
| October 2025 | 27,133 |
| September 2025 | 26,155 |
| August 2025 | 27,431 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in the West Midlands Police area 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 violence and sexual offences, shoplifting, vehicle crime.
The largest increases were in drugs (+11%). The largest falls were in anti-social behaviour (-53%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 136,133 | 44.8 | 1.31 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 32,175 | 10.6 | 1.28 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 27,278 | 9.0 | 1.82 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 25,990 | 8.6 | 1.26 | +7% |
| Other theft | 19,633 | 6.5 | 1.01 | -2% |
| Public order | 19,222 | 6.3 | 0.95 | +8% |
| Burglary | 14,280 | 4.7 | 1.33 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 13,239 | 4.4 | 0.28 | -53% |
| Drugs | 9,905 | 3.3 | 1.00 | +11% |
| Possession of weapons | 7,074 | 2.3 | 2.40 | +9% |
| Robbery | 6,521 | 2.1 | 1.59 | -2% |
| Other crime | 6,175 | 2.0 | 0.96 | -8% |
| Theft from the person | 2,926 | 1.0 | 0.57 | +9% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,781 | 0.6 | 0.71 | -7% |
Violence and sexual offences in the West Midlands Police area
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. The West Midlands Police area recorded 136,133 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (44.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 42.2% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in the West Midlands Police area
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. The West Midlands Police area recorded 32,175 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 4% on the year before. It made up 10.0% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in the West Midlands Police area
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. The West Midlands Police area recorded 27,278 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 8.5% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in the West Midlands Police area
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. The West Midlands Police area recorded 25,990 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in the West Midlands Police area
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. The West Midlands Police area recorded 19,633 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.5 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 2% on the year before. It made up 6.1% of all crime in the area.
Public order in the West Midlands Police area
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. The West Midlands Police area recorded 19,222 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 8% on the year before. It made up 6.0% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in the West Midlands Police area
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. The West Midlands Police area recorded 14,280 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 4.4% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in the West Midlands Police area
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. The West Midlands Police area recorded 13,239 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 53% on the year before. It made up 4.1% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in the West Midlands Police area
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. The West Midlands Police area recorded 9,905 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 11% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in the West Midlands Police area
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. The West Midlands Police area recorded 7,074 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 2.2% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in the West Midlands Police area
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. The West Midlands Police area recorded 6,521 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 2% on the year before. It made up 2.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in the West Midlands Police area
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. The West Midlands Police area recorded 6,175 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.0 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in the West Midlands Police area
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. The West Midlands Police area recorded 2,926 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in the West Midlands Police area
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. The West Midlands Police area recorded 1,781 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the police force areas closest to the West Midlands Police area, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to the West Midlands Police area.
| Police force area | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs the West Midlands Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 51,918 | 82.1 | -23% |
| West Mercia | 96,563 | 72.0 | -32% |
| Staffordshire | 106,686 | 90.6 | -15% |
| Leicestershire | 100,423 | 85.4 | -20% |
| Derbyshire | 102,878 | 93.8 | -12% |
| Gloucestershire | 55,492 | 82.9 | -22% |
| Northamptonshire | 73,391 | 90.2 | -15% |
| Nottinghamshire | 124,757 | 105.0 | -1% |
7 areas within the West Midlands Police area, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Birmingham had the highest rate (123.9 per 1,000) and Dudley the lowest (79.9). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | District | 1,183,618 | 146,625 | 123.9 |
| Walsall | District | 295,678 | 30,398 | 102.8 |
| Sandwell | District | 353,860 | 36,124 | 102.1 |
| Wolverhampton | District | 281,251 | 27,717 | 98.5 |
| Coventry | District | 369,026 | 35,712 | 96.8 |
| Solihull | District | 221,242 | 19,245 | 87.0 |
| Dudley | District | 331,930 | 26,511 | 79.9 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in the West Midlands Police area 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 121,980 | 37.8% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 110,027 | 34.1% |
| Under investigation | 26,981 | 8.4% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 17,869 | 5.5% |
| Not recorded | 13,239 | 4.1% |
| Local resolution | 11,671 | 3.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 8,944 | 2.8% |
| Status update unavailable | 6,487 | 2.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2,749 | 0.9% |
| Offender given a caution | 1,994 | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 151 | 0.0% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 123 | 0.0% |
The West Midlands Police area has an estimated population of 3,036,605. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in the West Midlands Police area sits in decile 3.8, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | the West Midlands Police area |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.2% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 63.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.4% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.1% |
| Social rented homes | 22.0% |
| Private rented homes | 19.6% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.8 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 28.5% |
Is the West Midlands Police area a safe place to live?
The West Midlands Police area recorded 106.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to 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 the West Midlands Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 136,133 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by shoplifting (32,175).
Is crime in the West Midlands Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the West Midlands Police area was down 3% on the year before: 322,332 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 331,818 in the previous 12 months.
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 the West Midlands Police area. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.