Crime in the West Midlands Police area: statistics, rates and trends
323,754 crimes were recorded in the West Midlands Police area in the 12 months to August 2026, 106.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Home Office recorded 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
- Demographics of the West Midlands Police area
- Questions about crime in the West Midlands Police area
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (136,810), shoplifting (32,589) and vehicle crime (27,400) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 8th of the 41 police force areas covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | the West Midlands Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 323,754 | 5,311,106 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 106.6 | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 3,036,605 | 54,941,057 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in the West Midlands Police area peaked in the year to August 2022 (393,912 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (291,291). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 323,754 | 106.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 330,009 | 108.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 349,790 | 115.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 373,738 | 123.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 393,912 | 129.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 370,311 | 121.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 301,091 | 99.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 301,610 | 99.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 291,291 | 95.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 28,853 |
| 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 |
Compared with England and Wales, the West Midlands Police area recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.4 times the national rate), vehicle crime (82% above the national rate) and robbery (56% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (74% below) and theft from the person (41% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 27,412 to 12,344.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 136,810 | 45.1 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 32,589 | 10.7 | 8.5 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 27,400 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 26,422 | 8.7 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Other theft | 19,848 | 6.5 | 6.4 | +1% |
| Public order | 19,667 | 6.5 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Burglary | 14,249 | 4.7 | 3.6 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 12,344 | 4.1 | 15.4 | -55% |
| Drugs | 9,847 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +7% |
| Possession of weapons | 7,189 | 2.4 | 1.0 | +11% |
| Robbery | 6,448 | 2.1 | 1.4 | -2% |
| Other crime | 6,141 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Theft from the person | 2,997 | 1.0 | 1.7 | +12% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,803 | 0.6 | 0.8 | -4% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
301,020 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in the West Midlands Police area in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 99.1 per 1,000 residents, higher than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was down 2% on the year ending March 2025 (308,494), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 43 territorial police force areas of England and Wales, the West Midlands Police area had the 7th highest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 41 force areas with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in the West Midlands Police area, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 55,521 offences (18% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for possession of weapons (2.2 times the national rate), vehicle offences (1.8 times the national rate) and robbery of personal property (1.7 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.47 times), trafficking of drugs (0.49 times) and death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (0.69 times).
The largest rises on the year were in possession of drugs (+17%). The largest falls were in death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (from 171 to 73) and robbery of personal property (−21%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 55,521 | 18.3 | 13.2 | 1.38 | +1% |
| Stalking and harassment | 34,551 | 11.4 | 10.1 | 1.13 | −1% |
| Shoplifting | 31,786 | 10.5 | 8.1 | 1.29 | – |
| Violence with injury | 30,160 | 9.9 | 8.1 | 1.22 | −7% |
| Vehicle offences | 27,539 | 9.1 | 5.0 | 1.80 | −6% |
| Criminal damage | 23,765 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 1.15 | −0% |
| Other theft offences | 18,742 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 0.94 | −10% |
| Public order offences | 17,800 | 5.9 | 7.0 | 0.84 | −6% |
| Residential burglary | 10,337 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 1.37 | −8% |
| Possession of drugs | 7,706 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.02 | +17% |
| Other sexual offences | 7,205 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.04 | +2% |
| Possession of weapons | 6,714 | 2.2 | 1.00 | 2.22 | +9% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 6,241 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.98 | +5% |
| Rape | 4,864 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.33 | +8% |
| Robbery of personal property | 4,600 | 1.5 | 0.91 | 1.66 | −21% |
| Non-residential burglary | 3,958 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.16 | −17% |
| Theft from the person | 2,542 | 0.84 | 1.8 | 0.47 | −2% |
| Robbery of business property | 2,106 | 0.69 | 0.47 | 1.46 | – |
| Bicycle theft | 1,788 | 0.59 | 0.85 | 0.69 | −7% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 1,770 | 0.58 | 1.2 | 0.49 | +5% |
| Arson | 1,216 | 0.40 | 0.38 | 1.05 | −0% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 73 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.69 | −57% |
| Homicide | 36 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 1.48 | +9% |
Recorded crime in the West Midlands Police area since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. The West Midlands Police area's rate was above the England and Wales rate in 10 of those 14 years and below it in 4. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 301,020 | 99.1 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 308,494 | 101.6 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 328,104 | 108.0 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 365,882 | 120.5 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 359,437 | 118.4 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 280,732 | 92.4 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 260,839 | 85.9 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 259,932 | 85.6 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 233,688 | 77.0 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 206,630 | 68.0 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 185,634 | 61.1 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 176,280 | 58.1 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 174,524 | 57.5 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 168,770 | 55.6 | 56.7 |
Districts in the West Midlands Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 7 districts in the West Midlands Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Birmingham had the highest rate (114.2 per 1,000) and Dudley the lowest (74.5). 1.2% of the crimes recorded in the area that year were not assigned to a district, so the district figures add up to less than the force total.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 135,120 | 114.2 | 1.37 |
| Sandwell | 33,927 | 95.9 | 1.15 |
| Walsall | 27,482 | 92.9 | 1.12 |
| Wolverhampton | 25,869 | 92.0 | 1.11 |
| Coventry | 32,606 | 88.4 | 1.06 |
| Solihull | 17,594 | 79.5 | 0.96 |
| Dudley | 24,742 | 74.5 | 0.90 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
The West Midlands Police area has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest police force areas.
| Police force area | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs the West Midlands Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 51,630 | 81.7 | -23% |
| West Mercia | 96,831 | 72.2 | -32% |
| Staffordshire | 107,433 | 91.2 | -14% |
| Leicestershire | 100,535 | 85.5 | -20% |
| Derbyshire | 103,143 | 94.1 | -12% |
| Northamptonshire | 73,722 | 90.6 | -15% |
| Nottinghamshire | 125,603 | 105.7 | -1% |
| Cheshire | 83,476 | 73.2 | -31% |
Of the 7 areas within the West Midlands Police area, Birmingham had the highest crime rate (123.9 per 1,000) and Dudley the lowest (80.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | District | 1,183,618 | 146,681 | 123.9 |
| Walsall | District | 295,678 | 30,674 | 103.7 |
| Sandwell | District | 353,860 | 36,370 | 102.8 |
| Wolverhampton | District | 281,251 | 27,937 | 99.3 |
| Coventry | District | 369,026 | 35,945 | 97.4 |
| Solihull | District | 221,242 | 19,471 | 88.0 |
| Dudley | District | 331,930 | 26,676 | 80.4 |
Of the 311,410 crimes in the West Midlands Police area with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 12,344 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 121,596 | 39.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 112,263 | 36.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 27,179 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 17,644 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11,820 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 9,136 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 6,630 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2,780 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1,967 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 150 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 130 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 79 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
The West Midlands Police area has an estimated population of 3,036,605 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (10.7%, against 7.9%), more residents with no qualifications (24%, against 18%) and more social housing (22%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up the West Midlands Police area average decile 3.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | the West Midlands Police area | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 28.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is the West Midlands Police area a safe place to live?
The West Midlands Police area recorded 106.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 8th of the 41 police force areas on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in the West Midlands Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 136,810 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (32,589).
Is crime in the West Midlands Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the West Midlands Police area was down 2% on the year before: 323,754 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 330,009 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of the West Midlands Police area?
About 3,036,605 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
How many crimes did the police record in the West Midlands Police area in the year ending March 2026?
301,020 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 99.1 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 308,494.
Which offences are more common in the West Midlands Police area than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were possession of weapons (6,714 offences, 2.2 times the England and Wales rate), vehicle offences (27,539 offences, 1.8 times the England and Wales rate) and robbery of personal property (4,600 offences, 1.7 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.