Crime in Heswall: statistics, rates and trends
1,000 crimes were recorded in Heswall in the 12 months to August 2026, 34.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (451), anti-social behaviour (125) and criminal damage and arson (101) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,354th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Heswall | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,000 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 34.1 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 29,294 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Heswall peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,254 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (937). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,000 | 34.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 937 | 32.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 982 | 33.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,148 | 39.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,173 | 40.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,254 | 42.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,194 | 40.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,116 | 38.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,236 | 42.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 84 |
| 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 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (85% below) and anti-social behaviour (72% below) were well below it. On the year before, other crime rose from 20 to 34 and other theft rose from 59 to 76.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 451 | 15.4 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 125 | 4.3 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 101 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Public order | 86 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 76 | 2.6 | 6.4 | +29% |
| Burglary | 42 | 1.4 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 36 | 1.2 | 8.5 | +9% |
| Other crime | 34 | 1.2 | 2.1 | +70% |
| Drugs | 31 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 11 | 0.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Heswall; the highest is Birkenhead (115.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Greasby (24.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Heswall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasby | 229 | 24.3 | -29% |
| Birkenhead | 13,212 | 115.4 | +238% |
| West Kirby | 655 | 48.4 | +42% |
| Neston (Cheshire West and Chester) | 755 | 51.7 | +51% |
| Bebington | 3,128 | 55.0 | +61% |
| Hoylake | 329 | 54.1 | +58% |
| Wallasey | 6,953 | 79.6 | +133% |
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | +155% |
Of the 2 areas within Heswall, Pensby and Thingwall had the highest crime rate (33.6 per 1,000) and Heswall the lowest (33.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensby and Thingwall | Neighbourhood | 12,268 | 412 | 33.6 |
| Heswall | Neighbourhood | 13,560 | 454 | 33.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Heswall over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (78).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 78 |
| On or near Telegraph Road | 35 |
| On or near Feather Lane | 32 |
| On or near Moor Lane | 28 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 27 |
| On or near Barleyfield | 22 |
| On or near The Roscote | 21 |
| On or near The Willows | 21 |
| On or near Paltridge Way | 17 |
| On or near Daryl Road | 13 |
Of the 875 crimes in Heswall with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 125 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 391 | 44.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 273 | 31.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 84 | 9.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 37 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 23 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Heswall has an estimated population of 29,294 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (32%, against 19%), more retired residents (36%, against 22%) and less social housing (6.3%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Heswall average decile 8.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Heswall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 84.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Heswall a safe place to live?
Heswall recorded 34.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,354th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Heswall?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 451 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (125).
Is crime in Heswall going up or down?
Recorded crime in Heswall was up 7% on the year before: 1,000 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 937 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Heswall?
About 29,294 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Heswall?
Heswall 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.