Crime in Dewsbury: statistics, rates and trends
8,191 crimes were recorded in Dewsbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 125.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dewsbury at a glance
- Crime trends in Dewsbury
- Types of crime in Dewsbury
- Dewsbury compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Dewsbury
- Streets with the most crime in Dewsbury
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dewsbury
- Demographics of Dewsbury
- Questions about crime in Dewsbury
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,526), anti-social behaviour (799) and public order (741) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 146th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Dewsbury | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 8,191 | 43,862 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 125.1 | 97.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 65,487 | 447,847 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dewsbury of any year here (8,191 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 8,191 | 125.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 8,747 | 133.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 9,380 | 143.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 10,267 | 156.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 9,834 | 150.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 9,413 | 143.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 9,900 | 151.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 10,769 | 164.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 10,408 | 158.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 662 |
| July 2026 | 760 |
| June 2026 | 725 |
| May 2026 | 733 |
| April 2026 | 721 |
| March 2026 | 699 |
| February 2026 | 572 |
| January 2026 | 587 |
| December 2025 | 583 |
| November 2025 | 643 |
| October 2025 | 752 |
| September 2025 | 754 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dewsbury recorded notably more other crime (2.1 times the national rate), drugs (90% above the national rate) and public order (70% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (62% below) and bicycle theft (56% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 276 to 408, while theft from the person fell from 65 to 42 and bicycle theft fell from 29 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,526 | 53.8 | 34.2 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 799 | 12.2 | 15.4 | -7% |
| Public order | 741 | 11.3 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 603 | 9.2 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 495 | 7.6 | 6.4 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 446 | 6.8 | 8.5 | +14% |
| Drugs | 408 | 6.2 | 3.3 | +48% |
| Vehicle crime | 351 | 5.4 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Burglary | 296 | 4.5 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Other crime | 296 | 4.5 | 2.1 | -3% |
| Robbery | 83 | 1.3 | 1.4 | +4% |
| Possession of weapons | 81 | 1.2 | 1.0 | -5% |
| Theft from the person | 42 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -35% |
| Bicycle theft | 24 | 0.4 | 0.8 | -17% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heckmondwike | 1,134 | 95.4 | -24% |
| Batley | 4,884 | 114.6 | -8% |
| Ossett | 1,556 | 73.8 | -41% |
| Mirfield | 1,668 | 82.7 | -34% |
| Liversedge | 1,687 | 103.7 | -17% |
| Horbury | 783 | 84.5 | -32% |
| East Ardsley | 1,125 | 77.9 | -38% |
| Gomersal and Birkenshaw | 1,178 | 73.1 | -42% |
Of the 3 areas within Dewsbury, Dewsbury East had the highest crime rate (162.1 per 1,000) and Dewsbury South the lowest (85.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewsbury East | Neighbourhood | 21,796 | 3,534 | 162.1 |
| Dewsbury West | Neighbourhood | 22,913 | 2,700 | 117.8 |
| Dewsbury South | Neighbourhood | 19,449 | 1,662 | 85.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 17% of the crime recorded in Dewsbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (413).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 413 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 138 |
| On or near Westgate | 135 |
| On or near Hospital | 116 |
| On or near Railway Street | 116 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 113 |
| On or near School Street | 105 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 103 |
| On or near Kertland Street | 99 |
| On or near Supermarket | 93 |
Of the 7,392 crimes in Dewsbury with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 799 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,818 | 38.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,052 | 27.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 959 | 13.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 395 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 378 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 308 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 165 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 130 | 1.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 120 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 38 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Dewsbury has an estimated population of 65,487 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and a younger population (12%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dewsbury average decile 2.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Dewsbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 29.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 32.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Dewsbury a safe place to live?
Dewsbury recorded 125.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 146th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Dewsbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,526 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (799).
Is crime in Dewsbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dewsbury was down 6% on the year before: 8,191 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 8,747 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dewsbury?
About 65,487 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dewsbury?
Dewsbury is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.