Crime in Rugeley: statistics, rates and trends
2,368 crimes were recorded in Rugeley in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,088), anti-social behaviour (276) and public order (198) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 508th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Rugeley | Cannock Chase | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,368 | 8,966 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.3 | 86.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +4% | -1% |
| Population | 27,125 | 104,088 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Rugeley of any year here (2,368 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,368 | 87.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,297 | 84.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,890 | 69.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,104 | 77.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,853 | 68.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,528 | 56.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,888 | 69.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,941 | 71.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,284 | 84.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 211 |
| July 2026 | 202 |
| June 2026 | 241 |
| May 2026 | 226 |
| April 2026 | 234 |
| March 2026 | 202 |
| February 2026 | 160 |
| January 2026 | 163 |
| December 2025 | 175 |
| November 2025 | 196 |
| October 2025 | 159 |
| September 2025 | 199 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and robbery (46% below) and drugs (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 121 to 171 and possession of weapons rose from 23 to 31, while shoplifting fell from 265 to 163 and vehicle crime fell from 168 to 114.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,088 | 40.1 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 276 | 10.2 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Public order | 198 | 7.3 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 171 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Shoplifting | 163 | 6.0 | 8.5 | -38% |
| Other theft | 124 | 4.6 | 6.4 | +19% |
| Vehicle crime | 114 | 4.2 | 5.0 | -32% |
| Burglary | 58 | 2.1 | 3.6 | -8% |
| Drugs | 52 | 1.9 | 3.3 | -25% |
| Other crime | 52 | 1.9 | 2.1 | +6% |
| Possession of weapons | 31 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +35% |
| Robbery | 20 | 0.7 | 1.4 | -13% |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Rugeley; the highest is Stafford (104.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Handsacre and Armitage (46.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rugeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handsacre and Armitage | 241 | 46.0 | -47% |
| Cannock | 5,179 | 82.1 | -6% |
| Burntwood | 1,907 | 64.3 | -26% |
| Norton Canes | 707 | 75.2 | -14% |
| Lichfield | 3,164 | 91.8 | +5% |
| Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay | 896 | 54.9 | -37% |
| Penkridge | 793 | 80.3 | -8% |
| Stafford | 8,015 | 104.5 | +20% |
Of the 3 areas within Rugeley, Western Springs had the highest crime rate (142.2 per 1,000) and Etching Hill & the Heath the lowest (67.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Springs | Neighbourhood | 6,309 | 897 | 142.2 |
| Brereton & Ravenhill | Neighbourhood | 9,484 | 738 | 77.8 |
| Etching Hill & the Heath | Neighbourhood | 9,477 | 640 | 67.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 27% of the crime recorded in Rugeley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (147).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 147 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 118 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 82 |
| On or near Birches Valley | 73 |
| On or near Lower Brook Street | 58 |
| On or near Glenhaven | 35 |
| On or near St Michael'S Drive | 35 |
| On or near Anson Street | 34 |
| On or near Harrow Close | 33 |
| On or near Upper Brook Street | 33 |
Of the 2,092 crimes in Rugeley with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 276 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 917 | 43.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 495 | 23.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 299 | 14.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 104 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 86 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 81 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 45 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 40 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Rugeley has an estimated population of 27,125 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%) and less social housing (12%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rugeley average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Rugeley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Rugeley a safe place to live?
Rugeley recorded 87.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 508th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Rugeley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,088 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (276).
Is crime in Rugeley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rugeley was up 3% on the year before: 2,368 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,297 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rugeley?
About 27,125 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rugeley?
Rugeley 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.