Crime in Heswall: statistics, rates and trends
994 crimes were recorded in Heswall in the 12 months to July 2026, 33.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Heswall at a glance
- Crime trends in Heswall
- Types of crime in Heswall
- Heswall compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Heswall
- Streets with the most crime in Heswall
- What happened after crimes were reported in Heswall
- Population and deprivation in Heswall
- Questions about crime in Heswall
- About this data
994 crimes were recorded in Heswall in the 12 months to July 2026, 33.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 6% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 460 reports (46% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Heswall has the 1,375th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Heswall | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 994 | 26,231 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 33.9 | 79.8 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 29,294 | 328,873 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Heswall was highest in the year to July 2021 (1,249 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2025 (941). Over the whole period it fell 19%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 994 | 33.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 941 | 32.1 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 997 | 34.0 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,163 | 39.7 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,172 | 40.0 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,249 | 42.6 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,200 | 41.0 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,108 | 37.8 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,233 | 42.1 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 86 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 82 |
| April 2026 | 75 |
| March 2026 | 107 |
| February 2026 | 77 |
| January 2026 | 88 |
| December 2025 | 89 |
| November 2025 | 82 |
| October 2025 | 83 |
| September 2025 | 85 |
| August 2025 | 78 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Heswall over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in other crime (+65%) and other theft (+24%).
The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-71%) and criminal damage and arson (-13%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 460 | 15.7 | 0.46 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 118 | 4.0 | 0.26 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 97 | 3.3 | 0.49 | -13% |
| Public order | 83 | 2.8 | 0.43 | -9% |
| Other theft | 73 | 2.5 | 0.39 | +24% |
| Burglary | 42 | 1.4 | 0.41 | +24% |
| Shoplifting | 37 | 1.3 | 0.15 | -3% |
| Other crime | 33 | 1.1 | 0.53 | +65% |
| Drugs | 31 | 1.1 | 0.32 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 12 | 0.4 | 0.08 | -71% |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.2 | 0.18 | -17% |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.0 | 0.04 | -80% |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.0 | 0.03 | -75% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.0 | 0.02 | +0% |
Violence and sexual offences in Heswall
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Heswall recorded 460 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (15.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 19% on the year before. It made up 46.3% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Heswall
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Heswall recorded 118 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 11.9% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Heswall
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Heswall recorded 97 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 13% on the year before. It made up 9.8% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Heswall
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Heswall recorded 83 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 9% on the year before. It made up 8.4% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Heswall
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Heswall recorded 73 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 24% on the year before. It made up 7.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Heswall
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Heswall recorded 42 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 24% on the year before. It made up 4.2% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Heswall
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Heswall recorded 37 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 3% on the year before. It made up 3.7% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Heswall
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Heswall recorded 33 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 65% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Heswall
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Heswall recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Heswall
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Heswall recorded 12 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 71% on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Heswall
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Heswall recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Heswall
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Heswall recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 80% on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Heswall
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Heswall recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 75% on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Heswall
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Heswall recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Heswall, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Heswall.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Heswall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasby | 258 | 27.3 | -19% |
| Birkenhead | 13,317 | 116.3 | +243% |
| West Kirby | 627 | 46.3 | +37% |
| Neston (Cheshire West and Chester) | 744 | 51.0 | +50% |
| Bebington | 3,138 | 55.2 | +63% |
| Hoylake | 347 | 57.0 | +68% |
| Wallasey | 7,028 | 80.5 | +137% |
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | +157% |
2 areas within Heswall, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Pensby and Thingwall had the highest rate (33.6 per 1,000) and Heswall the lowest (33.1). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensby and Thingwall | Neighbourhood | 12,268 | 412 | 33.6 |
| Heswall | Neighbourhood | 13,560 | 449 | 33.1 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Heswall over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 74 |
| On or near Telegraph Road | 33 |
| On or near Moor Lane | 29 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 26 |
| On or near Feather Lane | 25 |
| On or near Barleyfield | 22 |
| On or near The Roscote | 21 |
| On or near The Willows | 19 |
| On or near Paltridge Way | 17 |
| On or near Devizes Drive | 13 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Heswall over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 403 | 40.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 266 | 26.8% |
| Not recorded | 118 | 11.9% |
| Under investigation | 86 | 8.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 3.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 26 | 2.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 24 | 2.4% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 1.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.9% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.8% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% |
Heswall has an estimated population of 29,294. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Heswall sits in decile 8.7, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Heswall |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.0% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 53.1% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.9% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 84.7% |
| Social rented homes | 6.3% |
| Private rented homes | 9.0% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.7 |
Is Heswall a safe place to live?
Heswall recorded 33.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Heswall?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 460 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (118).
Is crime in Heswall going up or down?
Recorded crime in Heswall was up 6% on the year before: 994 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 941 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Heswall?
Heswall is policed by Merseyside. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Heswall. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.