Crime in Helsby: statistics, rates and trends
198 crimes were recorded in Helsby in the 12 months to August 2026, 36.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (95), criminal damage and arson (19) and public order (16) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,332nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Helsby | Cheshire West and Chester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 198 | 27,265 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 36.7 | 73.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +4% | -1% |
| Population | 5,396 | 371,652 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Helsby peaked in the year to August 2018 (319 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (163). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 38%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 198 | 36.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 194 | 36.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 163 | 30.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 266 | 49.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 245 | 45.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 289 | 53.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 280 | 51.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 259 | 48.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 319 | 59.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 15 |
| July 2026 | 27 |
| June 2026 | 21 |
| May 2026 | 14 |
| April 2026 | 28 |
| March 2026 | 16 |
| February 2026 | 8 |
| January 2026 | 16 |
| December 2025 | 18 |
| November 2025 | 10 |
| October 2025 | 13 |
| September 2025 | 12 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (49% below) was well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 95 | 17.6 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 19 | 3.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Public order | 16 | 3.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 14 | 2.6 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 2.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Other theft | 13 | 2.4 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 11 | 2.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 7 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 4 | 0.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Helsby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frodsham | 503 | 54.6 | +49% |
| Runcorn | 5,298 | 88.5 | +141% |
| Ellesmere Port | 6,493 | 93.4 | +154% |
| Widnes | 5,487 | 89.5 | +144% |
| Chester | 9,531 | 102.9 | +180% |
| Cuddington (Cheshire West and Chester) | 201 | 37.7 | +3% |
| Weaverham | 251 | 38.0 | +4% |
| Barnton | 273 | 47.6 | +30% |
Helsby is the one area listed within Helsby, with 36.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helsby | Neighbourhood | 5,396 | 198 | 36.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Helsby over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “School Close” (25).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near School Close | 25 |
| On or near Longster Close | 19 |
| On or near Parking Area | 16 |
| On or near Hemlegh Vale | 8 |
| On or near Croft Road | 7 |
| On or near Mountain View | 7 |
| On or near Chester Road | 6 |
| On or near Kings Drive | 6 |
| On or near Smithy Lane | 6 |
| On or near Chapel View | 5 |
Of the 184 crimes in Helsby with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 14 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 85 | 46.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 41 | 22.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 14 | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 7.1% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 4.3% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 2.2% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
Helsby has an estimated population of 5,396 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.5%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Helsby average decile 8.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Helsby | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Helsby a safe place to live?
Helsby recorded 36.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,332nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Helsby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 95 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (19).
Is crime in Helsby going up or down?
Recorded crime in Helsby was up 2% on the year before: 198 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 194 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Helsby?
About 5,396 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Helsby?
Helsby is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.