Crime in Shrewsbury: statistics, rates and trends
6,458 crimes were recorded in Shrewsbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shrewsbury at a glance
- Crime trends in Shrewsbury
- Types of crime in Shrewsbury
- Shrewsbury compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Shrewsbury
- Streets with the most crime in Shrewsbury
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shrewsbury
- Demographics of Shrewsbury
- Questions about crime in Shrewsbury
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,695), anti-social behaviour (871) and shoplifting (655) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 574th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Shrewsbury | Shropshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 6,458 | 19,214 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.1 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 78,695 | 332,455 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Shrewsbury of any year here (6,458 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 6,458 | 82.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,261 | 92.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 7,778 | 98.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 8,824 | 112.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 8,672 | 110.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 9,311 | 118.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 9,134 | 116.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 9,554 | 121.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 9,460 | 120.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 601 |
| July 2026 | 619 |
| June 2026 | 578 |
| May 2026 | 474 |
| April 2026 | 473 |
| March 2026 | 576 |
| February 2026 | 523 |
| January 2026 | 474 |
| December 2025 | 538 |
| November 2025 | 570 |
| October 2025 | 523 |
| September 2025 | 509 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shrewsbury recorded notably more bicycle theft (26% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (75% below) and theft from the person (72% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 213 to 245, while bicycle theft fell from 171 to 82 and vehicle crime fell from 188 to 96.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,695 | 34.2 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 871 | 11.1 | 15.4 | -32% |
| Shoplifting | 655 | 8.3 | 8.5 | -24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 599 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Public order | 403 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Other theft | 323 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Drugs | 245 | 3.1 | 3.3 | +15% |
| Burglary | 186 | 2.4 | 3.6 | +7% |
| Other crime | 141 | 1.8 | 2.1 | +1% |
| Vehicle crime | 96 | 1.2 | 5.0 | -49% |
| Bicycle theft | 82 | 1.0 | 0.8 | -52% |
| Possession of weapons | 70 | 0.9 | 1.0 | -3% |
| Robbery | 55 | 0.7 | 1.4 | +6% |
| Theft from the person | 37 | 0.5 | 1.7 | +6% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Shrewsbury; the highest is Telford (95.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Bayston Hill (30.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayston Hill | 157 | 30.5 | -63% |
| Wem | 444 | 70.2 | -14% |
| Telford | 15,813 | 95.4 | +16% |
| Broseley | 324 | 53.6 | -35% |
| Ellesmere | 295 | 57.9 | -29% |
| Newport (Telford and Wrekin) | 735 | 53.9 | -34% |
| Shifnal | 563 | 58.0 | -29% |
| Oswestry | 1,495 | 82.3 | 0% |
Of the 17 areas within Shrewsbury, Quarry & Coton Hill had the highest crime rate (338.5 per 1,000) and Radbrook the lowest (21.6), 16 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarry & Coton Hill | Neighbourhood | 4,635 | 1,569 | 338.5 |
| Harlescott | Neighbourhood | 3,775 | 500 | 132.5 |
| Meole | Neighbourhood | 3,151 | 356 | 113.0 |
| Monkmoor | Neighbourhood | 4,148 | 385 | 92.8 |
| Castlefields & Ditherington | Neighbourhood | 5,655 | 451 | 79.8 |
| Sundorne & Old Heath | Neighbourhood | 5,345 | 410 | 76.7 |
| Battlefield | Neighbourhood | 5,489 | 414 | 75.4 |
| Bicton Heath | Neighbourhood | 3,789 | 267 | 70.5 |
| Oteley & Reabrook | Neighbourhood | 3,210 | 198 | 61.7 |
| Underdale | Neighbourhood | 4,500 | 262 | 58.2 |
| Column & Sutton | Neighbourhood | 3,894 | 226 | 58.0 |
| Bagley | Neighbourhood | 4,623 | 264 | 57.1 |
| Porthill | Neighbourhood | 3,842 | 219 | 57.0 |
| Abbey | Neighbourhood | 6,383 | 331 | 51.9 |
| Copthorne | Neighbourhood | 5,264 | 261 | 49.6 |
| Belle Vue | Neighbourhood | 4,653 | 222 | 47.7 |
| Radbrook | Neighbourhood | 7,651 | 165 | 21.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Shrewsbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (412).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 412 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 398 |
| On or near Supermarket | 258 |
| On or near High Street | 111 |
| On or near Nightclub | 105 |
| On or near Wingfield Gardens | 94 |
| On or near Aynesworth Green | 92 |
| On or near Hospital | 89 |
| On or near Mardol Head | 71 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 71 |
Of the 5,587 crimes in Shrewsbury with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 871 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,321 | 41.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,310 | 23.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 827 | 14.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 393 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 309 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 217 | 3.9% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 121 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 50 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 16 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Shrewsbury has an estimated population of 78,695 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.7%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shrewsbury average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Shrewsbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Shrewsbury a safe place to live?
Shrewsbury recorded 82.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 574th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Shrewsbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,695 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (871).
Is crime in Shrewsbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shrewsbury was down 11% on the year before: 6,458 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,261 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shrewsbury?
About 78,695 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shrewsbury?
Shrewsbury is policed by West Mercia.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.