Crime in Oldbury (Sandwell): statistics, rates and trends
4,491 crimes were recorded in Oldbury (Sandwell) in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Oldbury (Sandwell) at a glance
- Crime trends in Oldbury (Sandwell)
- Types of crime in Oldbury (Sandwell)
- Oldbury (Sandwell) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Oldbury (Sandwell)
- Streets with the most crime in Oldbury (Sandwell)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Oldbury (Sandwell)
- Demographics of Oldbury (Sandwell)
- Questions about crime in Oldbury (Sandwell)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,974), shoplifting (481) and vehicle crime (410) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 409th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Oldbury (Sandwell) | Sandwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,491 | 36,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.5 | 102.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 47,037 | 353,860 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Oldbury (Sandwell) peaked in the year to August 2022 (5,246 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (3,846). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,491 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,740 | 100.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,947 | 105.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,004 | 106.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,246 | 111.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,775 | 101.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,846 | 81.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,361 | 92.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,918 | 83.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 432 |
| July 2026 | 392 |
| June 2026 | 372 |
| May 2026 | 369 |
| April 2026 | 386 |
| March 2026 | 416 |
| February 2026 | 342 |
| January 2026 | 371 |
| December 2025 | 328 |
| November 2025 | 345 |
| October 2025 | 368 |
| September 2025 | 370 |
Compared with England and Wales, Oldbury (Sandwell) recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.4 times the national rate), vehicle crime (75% above the national rate) and robbery (33% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (78% below) and theft from the person (71% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 88 to 108 and drugs rose from 122 to 144, while anti-social behaviour fell from 374 to 156 and other theft fell from 278 to 226.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,974 | 42.0 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 481 | 10.2 | 8.5 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 410 | 8.7 | 5.0 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 345 | 7.3 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Public order | 248 | 5.3 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Other theft | 226 | 4.8 | 6.4 | -19% |
| Burglary | 161 | 3.4 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 156 | 3.3 | 15.4 | -58% |
| Drugs | 144 | 3.1 | 3.3 | +18% |
| Other crime | 118 | 2.5 | 2.1 | +13% |
| Possession of weapons | 108 | 2.3 | 1.0 | +23% |
| Robbery | 85 | 1.8 | 1.4 | +13% |
| Theft from the person | 23 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -8% |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Oldbury (Sandwell); the highest is Blackheath (134.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Halesowen (59.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oldbury (Sandwell) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackheath | 1,208 | 134.4 | +41% |
| Smethwick | 6,591 | 109.4 | +15% |
| Rowley Regis | 3,136 | 81.7 | -14% |
| Cradley Heath | 1,799 | 94.1 | -1% |
| Halesowen | 3,647 | 59.9 | -37% |
| West Bromwich | 11,594 | 107.9 | +13% |
| Dudley (Dudley) | 7,248 | 114.7 | +20% |
| Tipton | 4,617 | 98.7 | +3% |
Of the 3 areas within Oldbury (Sandwell), Langley had the highest crime rate (109.9 per 1,000) and Old Warley the lowest (68.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langley | Neighbourhood | 15,354 | 1,688 | 109.9 |
| Bristnall | Neighbourhood | 13,719 | 1,119 | 81.6 |
| Old Warley | Neighbourhood | 12,016 | 828 | 68.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Oldbury (Sandwell) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (220).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 220 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 210 |
| On or near Supermarket | 183 |
| On or near Parking Area | 151 |
| On or near Salop Drive | 116 |
| On or near Market Street | 65 |
| On or near Beeches Road | 59 |
| On or near Wallace Close | 56 |
| On or near Aldridge Road | 49 |
| On or near Chance Croft | 46 |
Of the 4,335 crimes in Oldbury (Sandwell) with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 156 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,785 | 41.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,396 | 32.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 351 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 268 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 223 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 129 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 77 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 40 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Oldbury (Sandwell) has an estimated population of 47,037 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (27%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (24%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Oldbury (Sandwell) average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Oldbury (Sandwell) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Oldbury (Sandwell) a safe place to live?
Oldbury (Sandwell) recorded 95.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 409th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Oldbury (Sandwell)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,974 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (481).
Is crime in Oldbury (Sandwell) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oldbury (Sandwell) was down 5% on the year before: 4,491 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,740 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Oldbury (Sandwell)?
About 47,037 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Oldbury (Sandwell)?
Oldbury (Sandwell) is policed by West Midlands.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.