Crime in Morley (Leeds): statistics, rates and trends
4,442 crimes were recorded in Morley (Leeds) in the 12 months to August 2026, 133.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Morley (Leeds) at a glance
- Crime trends in Morley (Leeds)
- Types of crime in Morley (Leeds)
- Morley (Leeds) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Morley (Leeds)
- Streets with the most crime in Morley (Leeds)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Morley (Leeds)
- Demographics of Morley (Leeds)
- Questions about crime in Morley (Leeds)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,570), shoplifting (841) and anti-social behaviour (375) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 114th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Morley (Leeds) | Leeds | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,442 | 105,688 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 133.4 | 125.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 33,291 | 845,189 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Morley (Leeds) peaked in the year to August 2022 (4,987 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (4,169). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,442 | 133.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,307 | 129.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,567 | 137.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,956 | 148.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,987 | 149.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,662 | 140.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,405 | 132.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,590 | 137.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,169 | 125.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 335 |
| July 2026 | 413 |
| June 2026 | 385 |
| May 2026 | 405 |
| April 2026 | 368 |
| March 2026 | 345 |
| February 2026 | 299 |
| January 2026 | 322 |
| December 2025 | 361 |
| November 2025 | 368 |
| October 2025 | 418 |
| September 2025 | 423 |
Compared with England and Wales, Morley (Leeds) recorded notably more shoplifting (3.0 times the national rate), burglary (2.3 times the national rate) and other crime (90% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (45% below) and drugs (34% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 190 to 270 and possession of weapons rose from 30 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,570 | 47.2 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 841 | 25.3 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 375 | 11.3 | 15.4 | +11% |
| Public order | 314 | 9.4 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 307 | 9.2 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Burglary | 270 | 8.1 | 3.6 | +42% |
| Other theft | 251 | 7.5 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 153 | 4.6 | 5.0 | -12% |
| Other crime | 134 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +1% |
| Drugs | 72 | 2.2 | 3.3 | +16% |
| Robbery | 69 | 2.1 | 1.4 | +23% |
| Possession of weapons | 42 | 1.3 | 1.0 | +40% |
| Theft from the person | 31 | 0.9 | 1.7 | +19% |
| Bicycle theft | 13 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Morley (Leeds); the highest is Leeds (146.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Gomersal and Birkenshaw (73.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Morley (Leeds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gildersome | 599 | 95.7 | -28% |
| East Ardsley | 1,125 | 77.9 | -42% |
| Batley | 4,884 | 114.6 | -14% |
| Gomersal and Birkenshaw | 1,178 | 73.1 | -45% |
| Heckmondwike | 1,134 | 95.4 | -29% |
| Dewsbury | 8,191 | 125.1 | -6% |
| Ossett | 1,556 | 73.8 | -45% |
| Leeds | 82,148 | 146.5 | +10% |
Of the 2 areas within Morley (Leeds), Morley South had the highest crime rate (129.9 per 1,000) and Morley North the lowest (110.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morley South | Neighbourhood | 23,389 | 3,039 | 129.9 |
| Morley North | Neighbourhood | 24,670 | 2,731 | 110.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Morley (Leeds) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Millshaw Road” (670).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Millshaw Road | 670 |
| On or near Supermarket | 274 |
| On or near Parking Area | 148 |
| On or near Nightclub | 116 |
| On or near Albion Street | 93 |
| On or near Corporation Street | 57 |
| On or near Hepworth Avenue | 56 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 54 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 50 |
| On or near Trafalgar Gardens | 48 |
Of the 4,067 crimes in Morley (Leeds) with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 375 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,436 | 35.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,380 | 33.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 467 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 249 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 129 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 129 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 111 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 98 | 2.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 30 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Morley (Leeds) has an estimated population of 33,291 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%) and less social housing (13%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Morley (Leeds) average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Morley (Leeds) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Morley (Leeds) a safe place to live?
Morley (Leeds) recorded 133.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 114th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Morley (Leeds)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,570 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (841).
Is crime in Morley (Leeds) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Morley (Leeds) was up 3% on the year before: 4,442 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,307 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Morley (Leeds)?
About 33,291 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Morley (Leeds)?
Morley (Leeds) 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.