Crime in the West Yorkshire Police area: statistics, rates and trends
289,490 crimes were recorded in the West Yorkshire Police area in the 12 months to August 2026, 118.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in the West Yorkshire Police area at a glance
- Crime trends in the West Yorkshire Police area
- Types of crime in the West Yorkshire Police area
- Home Office recorded crime in the West Yorkshire Police area
- The West Yorkshire Police area compared with nearby police force areas
- Areas within the West Yorkshire Police area
- What happened after crimes were reported in the West Yorkshire Police area
- Demographics of the West Yorkshire Police area
- Questions about crime in the West Yorkshire Police area
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (116,412), anti-social behaviour (29,092) and public order (22,220) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 5th of the 41 police force areas covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | the West Yorkshire Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 289,490 | 5,311,106 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 118.9 | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 2,435,236 | 54,941,057 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in the West Yorkshire Police area of any year here (289,490 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 289,490 | 118.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 302,604 | 124.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 308,841 | 126.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 334,178 | 137.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 337,033 | 138.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 308,556 | 126.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 314,448 | 129.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 332,392 | 136.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 328,337 | 134.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 24,320 |
| July 2026 | 26,396 |
| June 2026 | 25,558 |
| May 2026 | 25,987 |
| April 2026 | 24,145 |
| March 2026 | 24,106 |
| February 2026 | 20,877 |
| January 2026 | 22,189 |
| December 2025 | 22,302 |
| November 2025 | 23,413 |
| October 2025 | 25,300 |
| September 2025 | 24,897 |
Compared with England and Wales, the West Yorkshire Police area recorded notably more other crime (84% above the national rate), burglary (62% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (40% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (49% below) and anti-social behaviour (22% below). On the year before, theft from the person fell from 2,494 to 2,090.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 116,412 | 47.8 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 29,092 | 11.9 | 15.4 | +4% |
| Public order | 22,220 | 9.1 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Shoplifting | 21,642 | 8.9 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 21,162 | 8.7 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Other theft | 18,492 | 7.6 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 15,749 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Burglary | 14,054 | 5.8 | 3.6 | -5% |
| Drugs | 10,978 | 4.5 | 3.3 | +14% |
| Other crime | 9,484 | 3.9 | 2.1 | +4% |
| Robbery | 3,945 | 1.6 | 1.4 | +12% |
| Possession of weapons | 2,558 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +2% |
| Theft from the person | 2,090 | 0.9 | 1.7 | -16% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,612 | 0.7 | 0.8 | +4% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
262,745 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in the West Yorkshire Police area in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 107.9 per 1,000 residents, higher than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was down 5% on the year ending March 2025 (275,211), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 43 territorial police force areas of England and Wales, the West Yorkshire Police area had the 3rd 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 Yorkshire Police area, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was stalking and harassment, with 45,451 offences (17% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (2.0 times the national rate), stalking and harassment (1.9 times the national rate) and residential burglary (1.7 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.51 times).
The largest rises on the year were in homicide (+30%) and possession of drugs (+14%). The largest falls were in non-residential burglary (−18%) and theft from the person (−15%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stalking and harassment | 45,451 | 18.7 | 10.1 | 1.85 | −1% |
| Violence without injury | 42,705 | 17.5 | 13.2 | 1.33 | −3% |
| Public order offences | 23,490 | 9.6 | 7.0 | 1.39 | −11% |
| Violence with injury | 23,196 | 9.5 | 8.1 | 1.17 | −7% |
| Shoplifting | 20,614 | 8.5 | 8.1 | 1.04 | – |
| Criminal damage | 19,476 | 8.0 | 6.8 | 1.17 | −6% |
| Other theft offences | 18,550 | 7.6 | 6.5 | 1.16 | −8% |
| Vehicle offences | 15,607 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 1.27 | −9% |
| Residential burglary | 10,513 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.73 | −0% |
| Possession of drugs | 7,902 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 1.30 | +14% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 7,409 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.45 | +4% |
| Other sexual offences | 6,598 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 1.19 | −2% |
| Rape | 4,041 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.37 | −4% |
| Non-residential burglary | 3,733 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.37 | −18% |
| Robbery of personal property | 2,379 | 0.98 | 0.91 | 1.07 | −12% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 2,349 | 0.96 | 1.2 | 0.81 | +14% |
| Possession of weapons | 2,266 | 0.93 | 1.00 | 0.93 | +7% |
| Theft from the person | 2,192 | 0.90 | 1.8 | 0.51 | −15% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,622 | 0.67 | 0.85 | 0.78 | −6% |
| Robbery of business property | 1,266 | 0.52 | 0.47 | 1.09 | – |
| Arson | 1,186 | 0.49 | 0.38 | 1.28 | −3% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 170 | 0.07 | 0.03 | 2.00 | +13% |
| Homicide | 30 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 1.54 | +30% |
Recorded crime in the West Yorkshire 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 Yorkshire Police area's rate was above the England and Wales rate in every one of those 14 years. 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 | 262,745 | 107.9 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 275,211 | 113.0 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 289,841 | 119.0 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 314,540 | 129.2 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 294,284 | 120.8 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 250,219 | 102.7 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 288,343 | 118.4 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 295,953 | 121.5 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 265,727 | 109.1 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 239,088 | 98.2 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 202,660 | 83.2 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 157,811 | 64.8 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 159,513 | 65.5 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 162,438 | 66.7 | 56.7 |
Districts in the West Yorkshire Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 5 districts in the West Yorkshire Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Bradford had the highest rate (117.0 per 1,000) and Kirklees the lowest (87.6).
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford | 65,941 | 117.0 | 1.41 |
| Leeds | 96,875 | 114.6 | 1.38 |
| Wakefield | 38,883 | 105.8 | 1.27 |
| Calderdale | 21,812 | 103.4 | 1.24 |
| Kirklees | 39,219 | 87.6 | 1.05 |
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 Yorkshire 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 Yorkshire Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Yorkshire | 166,072 | 116.1 | -2% |
| North Yorkshire | 61,097 | 72.3 | -39% |
| Lancashire | 163,902 | 102.3 | -14% |
| Derbyshire | 103,143 | 94.1 | -21% |
| Cheshire | 83,476 | 73.2 | -38% |
| Humberside | 98,416 | 102.2 | -14% |
| Nottinghamshire | 125,603 | 105.7 | -11% |
| Merseyside | 152,610 | 103.4 | -13% |
Of the 5 areas within the West Yorkshire Police area, Bradford had the highest crime rate (128.9 per 1,000) and Kirklees the lowest (97.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford | District | 563,605 | 72,631 | 128.9 |
| Leeds | District | 845,189 | 105,688 | 125.0 |
| Wakefield | District | 367,666 | 42,896 | 116.7 |
| Calderdale | District | 210,929 | 24,413 | 115.7 |
| Kirklees | District | 447,847 | 43,862 | 97.9 |
Of the 260,398 crimes in the West Yorkshire Police area with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 29,092 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 90,175 | 34.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 90,006 | 34.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 30,216 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15,431 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 11,251 | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 6,947 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 6,846 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3,641 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2,358 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2,313 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 794 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 345 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
The West Yorkshire Police area has an estimated population of 2,435,236 (ONS, mid-2024). On the Census 2021 measures below it is close to England and Wales as a whole. On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up the West Yorkshire Police area average decile 4.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | the West Yorkshire Police area | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 22.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is the West Yorkshire Police area a safe place to live?
The West Yorkshire Police area recorded 118.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 5th of the 41 police force areas on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and burglary.
What is the most common crime in the West Yorkshire Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 116,412 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (29,092).
Is crime in the West Yorkshire Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the West Yorkshire Police area was down 4% on the year before: 289,490 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 302,604 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of the West Yorkshire Police area?
About 2,435,236 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
How many crimes did the police record in the West Yorkshire Police area in the year ending March 2026?
262,745 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 107.9 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 275,211.
Which offences are more common in the West Yorkshire Police area than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (170 offences, 2.0 times the England and Wales rate), stalking and harassment (45,451 offences, 1.9 times the England and Wales rate) and residential burglary (10,513 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.