Crime in Runcorn: statistics, rates and trends
5,298 crimes were recorded in Runcorn in the 12 months to August 2026, 88.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,508), public order (585) and anti-social behaviour (495) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 489th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Runcorn | Halton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,298 | 12,012 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 88.5 | 91.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 59,841 | 131,543 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Runcorn of any year here (5,298 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,298 | 88.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,845 | 97.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,958 | 99.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,565 | 109.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,586 | 110.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 6,777 | 113.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,618 | 110.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,907 | 115.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 6,792 | 113.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 479 |
| July 2026 | 485 |
| June 2026 | 440 |
| May 2026 | 442 |
| April 2026 | 425 |
| March 2026 | 504 |
| February 2026 | 395 |
| January 2026 | 410 |
| December 2025 | 361 |
| November 2025 | 407 |
| October 2025 | 502 |
| September 2025 | 448 |
Compared with England and Wales, Runcorn recorded notably more drugs (72% above the national rate), public order (47% above the national rate) and other crime (29% above the national rate), and notably less robbery (68% below) and shoplifting (63% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 57 to 68, while vehicle crime fell from 195 to 125 and bicycle theft fell from 37 to 28.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,508 | 41.9 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Public order | 585 | 9.8 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 495 | 8.3 | 15.4 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 382 | 6.4 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Drugs | 337 | 5.6 | 3.3 | +11% |
| Other theft | 262 | 4.4 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 186 | 3.1 | 8.5 | -10% |
| Other crime | 163 | 2.7 | 2.1 | +1% |
| Burglary | 129 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Vehicle crime | 125 | 2.1 | 5.0 | -36% |
| Possession of weapons | 68 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +19% |
| Bicycle theft | 28 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -24% |
| Robbery | 26 | 0.4 | 1.4 | -21% |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Runcorn; the highest is Prescot (100.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Helsby (36.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Runcorn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frodsham | 503 | 54.6 | -38% |
| Widnes | 5,487 | 89.5 | +1% |
| Helsby | 198 | 36.7 | -59% |
| Warrington | 13,695 | 80.9 | -9% |
| Prescot | 4,093 | 100.0 | +13% |
| Weaverham | 251 | 38.0 | -57% |
| Barnton | 273 | 47.6 | -46% |
| Cuddington (Cheshire West and Chester) | 201 | 37.7 | -57% |
Of the 9 areas within Runcorn, Halton Lea had the highest crime rate (136.8 per 1,000) and Beechwood & Heath the lowest (27.0), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halton Lea | Neighbourhood | 7,587 | 1,038 | 136.8 |
| Halton Castle | Neighbourhood | 6,649 | 768 | 115.5 |
| Mersey & Weston | Neighbourhood | 11,035 | 1,169 | 105.9 |
| Grange | Neighbourhood | 6,805 | 686 | 100.8 |
| Daresbury, Moore & Sandymoor | Neighbourhood | 6,744 | 624 | 92.5 |
| Norton South & Preston Brook | Neighbourhood | 6,507 | 540 | 83.0 |
| Bridgewater | Neighbourhood | 7,095 | 568 | 80.1 |
| Norton North | Neighbourhood | 7,573 | 590 | 77.9 |
| Beechwood & Heath | Neighbourhood | 6,220 | 168 | 27.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 17% of the crime recorded in Runcorn over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (159).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 159 |
| On or near Parking Area | 99 |
| On or near Manor Farm Road | 98 |
| On or near Hospital Way | 97 |
| On or near Fieldhouse Row | 90 |
| On or near Holt Lane | 81 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 79 |
| On or near Grangemoor | 77 |
| On or near Otterburn Street | 63 |
| On or near Launceston Close | 62 |
Of the 4,803 crimes in Runcorn with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 495 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,726 | 35.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,105 | 23.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 581 | 12.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 465 | 9.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 358 | 7.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 245 | 5.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 151 | 3.1% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 114 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 24 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Runcorn has an estimated population of 59,841 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (29%, against 17%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Runcorn average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Runcorn | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 40.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Runcorn a safe place to live?
Runcorn recorded 88.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 489th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and public order.
What is the most common crime in Runcorn?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,508 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (585).
Is crime in Runcorn going up or down?
Recorded crime in Runcorn was down 9% on the year before: 5,298 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,845 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Runcorn?
About 59,841 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Runcorn?
Runcorn is policed by Cheshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.