Crime in Leek: statistics, rates and trends
1,719 crimes were recorded in Leek in the 12 months to August 2026, 92.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (724), anti-social behaviour (321) and public order (141) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 438th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Leek | Staffordshire Moorlands | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,719 | 6,544 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 92.5 | 67.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 18,578 | 96,651 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Leek peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,957 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,530). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,719 | 92.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,834 | 98.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,690 | 91.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,728 | 93.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,957 | 105.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,530 | 82.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,546 | 83.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,747 | 94.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,888 | 101.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 168 |
| July 2026 | 153 |
| June 2026 | 137 |
| May 2026 | 137 |
| April 2026 | 152 |
| March 2026 | 129 |
| February 2026 | 138 |
| January 2026 | 115 |
| December 2025 | 142 |
| November 2025 | 140 |
| October 2025 | 142 |
| September 2025 | 166 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (53% below) and shoplifting (38% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 28 to 50 and vehicle crime rose from 27 to 43, while shoplifting fell from 257 to 98.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 724 | 39.0 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 321 | 17.3 | 15.4 | +14% |
| Public order | 141 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 132 | 7.1 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 98 | 5.3 | 8.5 | -62% |
| Other theft | 92 | 5.0 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Drugs | 50 | 2.7 | 3.3 | +79% |
| Burglary | 47 | 2.5 | 3.6 | +47% |
| Vehicle crime | 43 | 2.3 | 5.0 | +59% |
| Other crime | 26 | 1.4 | 2.1 | +13% |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Leek; the highest is Stoke-on-Trent (139.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Werrington (62.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Leek |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biddulph | 1,291 | 78.5 | -15% |
| Werrington | 398 | 62.2 | -33% |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 37,543 | 139.7 | +51% |
| Cheadle (Staffordshire Moorlands) | 1,043 | 83.8 | -9% |
| Congleton | 2,345 | 70.6 | -24% |
| Kidsgrove | 1,422 | 91.3 | -1% |
| Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook | 524 | 75.9 | -18% |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 8,182 | 103.1 | +11% |
Of the 4 areas within Leek, Leek East had the highest crime rate (110.7 per 1,000) and Leek West the lowest (40.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leek East | Neighbourhood | 5,061 | 560 | 110.7 |
| Leek South | Neighbourhood | 5,728 | 550 | 96.0 |
| Leek North | Neighbourhood | 5,437 | 519 | 95.5 |
| Leek West | Neighbourhood | 4,541 | 183 | 40.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Leek over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (113).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 113 |
| On or near Parking Area | 90 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 58 |
| On or near High Street | 47 |
| On or near Beresford Place | 41 |
| On or near Haywood Street | 41 |
| On or near Talbot Street | 29 |
| On or near Church Street | 28 |
| On or near The Doves | 28 |
| On or near Brough Close | 26 |
Of the 1,398 crimes in Leek with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 321 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 587 | 42.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 291 | 20.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 197 | 14.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 99 | 7.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 93 | 6.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 48 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 44 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 22 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Leek has an estimated population of 18,578 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), an older population (24%, against 19%) and more retired residents (28%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Leek average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Leek | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Leek a safe place to live?
Leek recorded 92.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 438th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Leek?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 724 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (321).
Is crime in Leek going up or down?
Recorded crime in Leek was down 6% on the year before: 1,719 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,834 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Leek?
About 18,578 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Leek?
Leek is policed by Staffordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.