Crime in Bootle (Sefton): statistics, rates and trends
7,572 crimes were recorded in Bootle (Sefton) in the 12 months to August 2026, 132.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bootle (Sefton) at a glance
- Crime trends in Bootle (Sefton)
- Types of crime in Bootle (Sefton)
- Bootle (Sefton) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bootle (Sefton)
- Streets with the most crime in Bootle (Sefton)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bootle (Sefton)
- Demographics of Bootle (Sefton)
- Questions about crime in Bootle (Sefton)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,165), anti-social behaviour (765) and public order (740) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 123rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bootle (Sefton) | Sefton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,572 | 24,393 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 132.4 | 85.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 57,206 | 286,281 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bootle (Sefton) peaked in the year to August 2022 (9,191 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (7,156). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 7,572 | 132.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,156 | 125.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 7,247 | 126.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 8,649 | 151.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 9,191 | 160.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 8,975 | 156.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,908 | 138.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,640 | 133.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,875 | 137.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 721 |
| July 2026 | 699 |
| June 2026 | 689 |
| May 2026 | 679 |
| April 2026 | 562 |
| March 2026 | 596 |
| February 2026 | 541 |
| January 2026 | 582 |
| December 2025 | 555 |
| November 2025 | 618 |
| October 2025 | 663 |
| September 2025 | 667 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bootle (Sefton) recorded notably more drugs (3.1 times the national rate), public order (94% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (62% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (79% below) and vehicle crime (23% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 46 to 88 and bicycle theft rose from 48 to 76.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,165 | 55.3 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 765 | 13.4 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Public order | 740 | 12.9 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 627 | 11.0 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Drugs | 585 | 10.2 | 3.3 | -11% |
| Shoplifting | 420 | 7.3 | 8.5 | +18% |
| Other theft | 390 | 6.8 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Burglary | 221 | 3.9 | 3.6 | +50% |
| Vehicle crime | 219 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Other crime | 171 | 3.0 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Robbery | 88 | 1.5 | 1.4 | +91% |
| Possession of weapons | 85 | 1.5 | 1.0 | +18% |
| Bicycle theft | 76 | 1.3 | 0.8 | +58% |
| Theft from the person | 20 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bootle (Sefton); the highest is Liverpool (133.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Lydiate (35.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bootle (Sefton) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Litherland | 1,739 | 102.9 | -22% |
| Crosby (Sefton) | 3,778 | 73.1 | -45% |
| Aintree | 612 | 92.1 | -30% |
| Maghull | 973 | 49.7 | -62% |
| Kirkby | 4,602 | 101.2 | -24% |
| Lydiate | 299 | 35.9 | -73% |
| Liverpool | 70,503 | 133.7 | +1% |
| Wallasey | 6,953 | 79.6 | -40% |
Of the 4 areas within Bootle (Sefton), Linacre had the highest crime rate (208.3 per 1,000) and Netherton and Orrell the lowest (78.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linacre | Neighbourhood | 13,905 | 2,896 | 208.3 |
| St Oswald | Neighbourhood | 11,152 | 1,598 | 143.3 |
| Derby | Neighbourhood | 14,486 | 1,905 | 131.5 |
| Netherton and Orrell | Neighbourhood | 12,284 | 958 | 78.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 19% of the crime recorded in Bootle (Sefton) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (276).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 276 |
| On or near Parking Area | 235 |
| On or near Back Stanley Road | 182 |
| On or near Supermarket | 133 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 128 |
| On or near Bedford Road | 110 |
| On or near The Threshers | 104 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 102 |
| On or near Cricklade Close | 97 |
| On or near The Marian Square | 95 |
Of the 6,807 crimes in Bootle (Sefton) with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 765 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,977 | 43.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,665 | 24.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 765 | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 548 | 8.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 272 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 201 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 181 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 71 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 70 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 40 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 17 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Bootle (Sefton) has an estimated population of 57,206 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (32%, against 17%), more households without a car (41%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bootle (Sefton) average decile 2.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bootle (Sefton) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 41.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 49.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 31.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 55.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bootle (Sefton) a safe place to live?
Bootle (Sefton) recorded 132.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 123rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and public order.
What is the most common crime in Bootle (Sefton)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,165 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (765).
Is crime in Bootle (Sefton) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bootle (Sefton) was up 6% on the year before: 7,572 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,156 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bootle (Sefton)?
About 57,206 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bootle (Sefton)?
Bootle (Sefton) is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.