Crime in Pontefract: statistics, rates and trends
4,107 crimes were recorded in Pontefract in the 12 months to August 2026, 120.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Pontefract at a glance
- Crime trends in Pontefract
- Types of crime in Pontefract
- Pontefract compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Pontefract
- Streets with the most crime in Pontefract
- What happened after crimes were reported in Pontefract
- Demographics of Pontefract
- Questions about crime in Pontefract
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,744), anti-social behaviour (542) and shoplifting (420) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 177th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Pontefract | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,107 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 120.2 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 34,171 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Pontefract peaked in the year to August 2022 (5,260 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (3,842). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,107 | 120.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,265 | 124.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,444 | 130.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,817 | 141.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,260 | 153.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,842 | 112.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,295 | 125.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,491 | 131.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,269 | 124.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 385 |
| July 2026 | 407 |
| June 2026 | 324 |
| May 2026 | 351 |
| April 2026 | 346 |
| March 2026 | 351 |
| February 2026 | 306 |
| January 2026 | 295 |
| December 2025 | 364 |
| November 2025 | 316 |
| October 2025 | 349 |
| September 2025 | 313 |
Compared with England and Wales, Pontefract recorded notably more other crime (90% above the national rate), violence and sexual offences (49% above the national rate) and shoplifting (45% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (58% below) and possession of weapons (25% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 30 to 46 and shoplifting rose from 341 to 420, while possession of weapons fell from 42 to 25 and theft from the person fell from 37 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,744 | 51.0 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 542 | 15.9 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 420 | 12.3 | 8.5 | +23% |
| Public order | 302 | 8.8 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 288 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other theft | 202 | 5.9 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 141 | 4.1 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Other crime | 137 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +12% |
| Burglary | 128 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Drugs | 99 | 2.9 | 3.3 | +2% |
| Robbery | 46 | 1.3 | 1.4 | +53% |
| Possession of weapons | 25 | 0.7 | 1.0 | -40% |
| Theft from the person | 24 | 0.7 | 1.7 | -35% |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Pontefract; the highest is Knottingley (161.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Ackworth Moor Top (58.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Pontefract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Featherstone (Wakefield) | 1,360 | 107.4 | -11% |
| Knottingley | 1,456 | 161.8 | +35% |
| Castleford | 6,882 | 147.6 | +23% |
| Ackworth Moor Top | 389 | 58.4 | -51% |
| Normanton (Wakefield) | 2,035 | 88.9 | -26% |
| Allerton Bywater | 712 | 88.4 | -26% |
| Upton (Wakefield) | 527 | 81.3 | -32% |
| Crofton | 438 | 65.4 | -46% |
Of the 2 areas within Pontefract, Pontefract North had the highest crime rate (143.1 per 1,000) and Pontefract South the lowest (86.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontefract North | Neighbourhood | 20,228 | 2,894 | 143.1 |
| Pontefract South | Neighbourhood | 15,544 | 1,344 | 86.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Pontefract over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (247).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 247 |
| On or near Beastfair | 125 |
| On or near Finkle Street | 121 |
| On or near Valley Road | 120 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 99 |
| On or near Crown And Anchor Yard | 94 |
| On or near Chequers Close | 77 |
| On or near Willow Park | 57 |
| On or near Queen'S Square | 56 |
| On or near Northfield Drive | 54 |
Of the 3,565 crimes in Pontefract with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 542 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,300 | 36.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,117 | 31.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 421 | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 205 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 154 | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 93 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 81 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 71 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 69 | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 39 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Pontefract has an estimated population of 34,171 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%), less private renting (13%, against 20%) and more residents with no qualifications (23%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Pontefract average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Pontefract | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Pontefract a safe place to live?
Pontefract recorded 120.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 177th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Pontefract?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,744 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (542).
Is crime in Pontefract going up or down?
Recorded crime in Pontefract was down 4% on the year before: 4,107 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,265 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Pontefract?
About 34,171 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Pontefract?
Pontefract 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.