Crime in Bewdley: statistics, rates and trends
680 crimes were recorded in Bewdley in the 12 months to August 2026, 60.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (349), anti-social behaviour (91) and criminal damage and arson (45) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 946th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Bewdley | Wyre Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 680 | 8,977 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 60.6 | 86.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 11,230 | 103,913 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Bewdley of any year here (680 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 680 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 715 | 63.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 760 | 67.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 849 | 75.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 837 | 74.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 900 | 80.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 933 | 83.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 864 | 76.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 854 | 76.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 65 |
| July 2026 | 82 |
| June 2026 | 63 |
| May 2026 | 43 |
| April 2026 | 53 |
| March 2026 | 58 |
| February 2026 | 66 |
| January 2026 | 50 |
| December 2025 | 35 |
| November 2025 | 61 |
| October 2025 | 52 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (78% below) and public order (53% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 287 to 349, while other theft fell from 67 to 34 and burglary fell from 63 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 349 | 31.1 | 34.2 | +22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 91 | 8.1 | 15.4 | -16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -39% |
| Public order | 35 | 3.1 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Other theft | 34 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -49% |
| Burglary | 32 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -49% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 21 | 1.9 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 14 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bewdley; the highest is Brierley Hill (116.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Hagley (31.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bewdley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidderminster | 5,648 | 100.1 | +65% |
| Stourport-on-Severn | 1,190 | 62.5 | +3% |
| Hagley | 236 | 31.1 | -49% |
| Stourbridge | 4,120 | 70.0 | +16% |
| Kingswinford | 2,844 | 54.3 | -10% |
| Brierley Hill | 3,658 | 116.2 | +92% |
| Droitwich Spa | 1,859 | 76.0 | +26% |
| Bromsgrove | 2,303 | 67.2 | +11% |
Of the 2 areas within Bewdley, Bewdley & Rock had the highest crime rate (58.1 per 1,000) and Wribbenhall & Arley the lowest (53.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bewdley & Rock | Neighbourhood | 9,013 | 524 | 58.1 |
| Wribbenhall & Arley | Neighbourhood | 4,958 | 267 | 53.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Bewdley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Load Street” and “Sports/Recreation Area” (54 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Load Street | 54 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 54 |
| On or near Supermarket | 41 |
| On or near Parking Area | 40 |
| On or near Orchard Rise | 33 |
| On or near Northwood Halt | 23 |
| On or near Sandstone Road | 16 |
| On or near Theme/Adventure Park | 14 |
| On or near Springhill Rise | 13 |
| On or near Cordle Marsh Road | 12 |
Of the 589 crimes in Bewdley with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 91 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 281 | 47.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 123 | 20.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 101 | 17.1% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 6.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 23 | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Bewdley has an estimated population of 11,230 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (34%, against 19%), more retired residents (37%, against 22%) and less social housing (8.6%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bewdley average decile 5.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bewdley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 34.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bewdley a safe place to live?
Bewdley recorded 60.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 946th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Bewdley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 349 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (91).
Is crime in Bewdley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bewdley was down 5% on the year before: 680 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 715 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bewdley?
About 11,230 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 34% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bewdley?
Bewdley is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.