Crime in Cradley Heath: statistics, rates and trends
1,799 crimes were recorded in Cradley Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 94.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Cradley Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Cradley Heath
- Types of crime in Cradley Heath
- Cradley Heath compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Cradley Heath
- Streets with the most crime in Cradley Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Cradley Heath
- Demographics of Cradley Heath
- Questions about crime in Cradley Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (902), criminal damage and arson (157) and vehicle crime (124) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 422nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Cradley Heath | Sandwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,799 | 36,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 94.1 | 102.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 19,121 | 353,860 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Cradley Heath peaked in the year to August 2022 (2,238 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,635). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,799 | 94.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,909 | 99.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,976 | 103.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,148 | 112.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,238 | 117.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,153 | 112.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,780 | 93.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,760 | 92.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,635 | 85.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 148 |
| July 2026 | 192 |
| June 2026 | 143 |
| May 2026 | 154 |
| April 2026 | 170 |
| March 2026 | 146 |
| February 2026 | 135 |
| January 2026 | 135 |
| December 2025 | 139 |
| November 2025 | 143 |
| October 2025 | 161 |
| September 2025 | 133 |
Compared with England and Wales, Cradley Heath recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.8 times the national rate), violence and sexual offences (38% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (30% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (72% below) and shoplifting (55% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 32 to 52 and drugs rose from 31 to 50, while anti-social behaviour fell from 163 to 83 and shoplifting fell from 122 to 73.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 902 | 47.2 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 157 | 8.2 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 124 | 6.5 | 5.0 | -19% |
| Public order | 112 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Other theft | 86 | 4.5 | 6.4 | -35% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 83 | 4.3 | 15.4 | -49% |
| Burglary | 75 | 3.9 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Shoplifting | 73 | 3.8 | 8.5 | -40% |
| Possession of weapons | 52 | 2.7 | 1.0 | +62% |
| Drugs | 50 | 2.6 | 3.3 | +61% |
| Other crime | 36 | 1.9 | 2.1 | -27% |
| Robbery | 33 | 1.7 | 1.4 | -8% |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Cradley Heath; the highest is Blackheath (134.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Kingswinford (54.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cradley Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halesowen | 3,647 | 59.9 | -36% |
| Blackheath | 1,208 | 134.4 | +43% |
| Rowley Regis | 3,136 | 81.7 | -13% |
| Brierley Hill | 3,658 | 116.2 | +24% |
| Dudley (Dudley) | 7,248 | 114.7 | +22% |
| Oldbury (Sandwell) | 4,491 | 95.5 | +1% |
| Stourbridge | 4,120 | 70.0 | -26% |
| Kingswinford | 2,844 | 54.3 | -42% |
Cradley Heath and Old Hill is the one area listed within Cradley Heath, with 96.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cradley Heath and Old Hill | Neighbourhood | 15,691 | 1,517 | 96.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Cradley Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (136).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 136 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 72 |
| On or near Woods Lane | 50 |
| On or near Queen Street | 49 |
| On or near Peartree Lane | 47 |
| On or near Beechcroft Road | 35 |
| On or near Meadow Walk | 35 |
| On or near Supermarket | 35 |
| On or near Waggon Street | 35 |
| On or near Hill Passage | 32 |
Of the 1,716 crimes in Cradley Heath with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 83 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 812 | 47.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 497 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 114 | 6.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 94 | 5.5% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 79 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 44 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 23 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 17 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Cradley Heath has an estimated population of 19,121 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (28%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (21%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cradley Heath average decile 3.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Cradley Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 21.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Cradley Heath a safe place to live?
Cradley Heath recorded 94.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 422nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Cradley Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 902 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (157).
Is crime in Cradley Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cradley Heath was down 6% on the year before: 1,799 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,909 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cradley Heath?
About 19,121 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cradley Heath?
Cradley Heath is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.