Crime in Stoke-on-Trent: statistics, rates and trends
37,321 crimes were recorded in Stoke-on-Trent in the 12 months to July 2026, 138.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Stoke-on-Trent at a glance
- Crime trends in Stoke-on-Trent
- Types of crime in Stoke-on-Trent
- Stoke-on-Trent compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Stoke-on-Trent
- Streets with the most crime in Stoke-on-Trent
- What happened after crimes were reported in Stoke-on-Trent
- Population and deprivation in Stoke-on-Trent
- Questions about crime in Stoke-on-Trent
- About this data
37,321 crimes were recorded in Stoke-on-Trent in the 12 months to July 2026, 138.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 8% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 13,792 reports (37% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Stoke-on-Trent has the 90th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Stoke-on-Trent | Stoke-on-Trent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 37,321 | 37,571 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 138.9 | 138.9 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 268,745 | 270,425 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Stoke-on-Trent was highest in the year to July 2018 (40,646 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2021 (32,543). Over the whole period it fell 8%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 37,321 | 138.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 34,595 | 128.7 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 35,968 | 133.8 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 38,429 | 143.0 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 37,384 | 139.1 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 32,543 | 121.1 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 34,597 | 128.7 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 39,076 | 145.4 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 40,646 | 151.2 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 3,594 |
| June 2026 | 3,535 |
| May 2026 | 3,210 |
| April 2026 | 3,139 |
| March 2026 | 3,131 |
| February 2026 | 2,948 |
| January 2026 | 2,900 |
| December 2025 | 3,040 |
| November 2025 | 2,713 |
| October 2025 | 3,007 |
| September 2025 | 2,993 |
| August 2025 | 3,111 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Stoke-on-Trent over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, public order.
The largest increases were in bicycle theft (+32%) and robbery (+27%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 13,792 | 51.3 | 1.50 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6,631 | 24.7 | 1.61 | +16% |
| Public order | 3,174 | 11.8 | 1.78 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 2,974 | 11.1 | 1.63 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 2,416 | 9.0 | 1.09 | -6% |
| Other theft | 2,199 | 8.2 | 1.28 | +13% |
| Burglary | 1,435 | 5.3 | 1.51 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 1,404 | 5.2 | 1.06 | +2% |
| Drugs | 1,073 | 4.0 | 1.22 | +14% |
| Other crime | 789 | 2.9 | 1.39 | +7% |
| Robbery | 538 | 2.0 | 1.48 | +27% |
| Possession of weapons | 485 | 1.8 | 1.86 | +4% |
| Bicycle theft | 307 | 1.1 | 1.39 | +32% |
| Theft from the person | 104 | 0.4 | 0.23 | -5% |
Violence and sexual offences in Stoke-on-Trent
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 13,792 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (51.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 37.0% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Stoke-on-Trent
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 6,631 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (24.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 16% on the year before. It made up 17.8% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Stoke-on-Trent
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 3,174 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 8.5% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Stoke-on-Trent
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 2,974 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 8.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Stoke-on-Trent
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 2,416 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.0 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 6.5% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Stoke-on-Trent
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 2,199 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 13% on the year before. It made up 5.9% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Stoke-on-Trent
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 1,435 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 8% on the year before. It made up 3.8% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Stoke-on-Trent
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 1,404 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 3.8% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Stoke-on-Trent
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 1,073 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 2.9% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Stoke-on-Trent
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 789 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Stoke-on-Trent
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 538 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 27% on the year before. It made up 1.4% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Stoke-on-Trent
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 485 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Stoke-on-Trent
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 307 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 32% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Stoke-on-Trent
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 104 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Stoke-on-Trent, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Stoke-on-Trent.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Stoke-on-Trent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Werrington | 381 | 59.5 | -57% |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 8,214 | 103.5 | -26% |
| Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook | 530 | 76.8 | -45% |
| Kidsgrove | 1,377 | 88.4 | -36% |
| Biddulph | 1,288 | 78.3 | -44% |
| Cheadle (Staffordshire Moorlands) | 1,035 | 83.1 | -40% |
| Stone (Stafford) | 1,263 | 69.4 | -50% |
| Alsager | 949 | 58.7 | -58% |
35 areas within Stoke-on-Trent, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Hartshill Park & Stoke had the highest rate (304.4 per 1,000) and Lightwood North & Normacot the lowest (59.5). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartshill Park & Stoke | Neighbourhood | 5,841 | 1,778 | 304.4 |
| Hanley Park, Joiner's Square & Shelton | Neighbourhood | 16,452 | 4,861 | 295.5 |
| Longton & Meir Hay South | Neighbourhood | 6,320 | 1,668 | 263.9 |
| Etruria & Hanley | Neighbourhood | 6,829 | 1,689 | 247.3 |
| Fenton West & Mount Pleasant | Neighbourhood | 6,513 | 1,284 | 197.1 |
| Fenton East | Neighbourhood | 5,702 | 1,088 | 190.8 |
| Penkhull & Springfields | Neighbourhood | 4,814 | 905 | 188.0 |
| Burslem | Neighbourhood | 4,435 | 794 | 179.0 |
| Tunstall | Neighbourhood | 8,065 | 1,387 | 172.0 |
| Bentilee, Ubberley & Townsend | Neighbourhood | 13,125 | 1,991 | 151.7 |
| Moorcroft & Sneyd Green | Neighbourhood | 13,917 | 2,059 | 147.9 |
| Ford Green & Smallthorne | Neighbourhood | 5,646 | 834 | 147.7 |
| Birches Head & Northwood | Neighbourhood | 12,340 | 1,802 | 146.0 |
| Burslem Park | Neighbourhood | 4,970 | 688 | 138.4 |
| Little Chell & Stanfield | Neighbourhood | 6,621 | 898 | 135.6 |
| Meir South | Neighbourhood | 6,514 | 876 | 134.5 |
| Dresden & Florence | Neighbourhood | 5,725 | 750 | 131.0 |
| Meir Park | Neighbourhood | 3,850 | 482 | 125.2 |
| Blurton | Neighbourhood | 8,136 | 1,009 | 124.0 |
| Abbey Hulton | Neighbourhood | 6,828 | 829 | 121.4 |
| Sandford Hill | Neighbourhood | 5,574 | 654 | 117.3 |
| Meir North | Neighbourhood | 7,271 | 780 | 107.3 |
| Goldenhill & Sandyford | Neighbourhood | 5,883 | 621 | 105.6 |
| Trent Vale & Oak Hill | Neighbourhood | 6,549 | 678 | 103.5 |
| Bucknall & Eaton Park | Neighbourhood | 5,501 | 563 | 102.3 |
| Boothen | Neighbourhood | 4,520 | 452 | 100.0 |
| Hollybush | Neighbourhood | 4,719 | 424 | 89.8 |
| Great Chell & Packmoor | Neighbourhood | 9,781 | 827 | 84.6 |
| Bradeley & Chell Heath | Neighbourhood | 7,424 | 604 | 81.4 |
| Meir Hay North, Parkhall & Weston Coyney | Neighbourhood | 12,537 | 961 | 76.7 |
| Basford & Hartshill | Neighbourhood | 7,109 | 526 | 74.0 |
| Hanford, Newstead & Trentham | Neighbourhood | 15,680 | 1,107 | 70.6 |
| Baddeley, Milton & Norton | Neighbourhood | 18,096 | 1,277 | 70.6 |
| Fulford | Neighbourhood | 5,964 | 413 | 69.2 |
| Lightwood North & Normacot | Neighbourhood | 7,138 | 425 | 59.5 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Stoke-on-Trent over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 1,649 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 1,002 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 859 |
| On or near Parking Area | 823 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 253 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 226 |
| On or near Huntbach Street | 206 |
| On or near Hospital | 197 |
| On or near Railway Passage | 161 |
| On or near Etruria Old Road | 130 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Stoke-on-Trent over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 12,053 | 32.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 9,160 | 24.5% |
| Not recorded | 6,631 | 17.8% |
| Under investigation | 3,773 | 10.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,447 | 3.9% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 1,402 | 3.8% |
| Local resolution | 1,172 | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 927 | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 563 | 1.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 103 | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 42 | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 39 | 0.1% |
Stoke-on-Trent has an estimated population of 268,745. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Stoke-on-Trent sits in decile 3.5, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Stoke-on-Trent |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 62.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.4% |
| Social rented homes | 22.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.2% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 30.8% |
Is Stoke-on-Trent a safe place to live?
Stoke-on-Trent recorded 138.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Stoke-on-Trent?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 13,792 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (6,631).
Is crime in Stoke-on-Trent going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stoke-on-Trent was up 8% on the year before: 37,321 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 34,595 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Stoke-on-Trent?
Stoke-on-Trent is policed by Staffordshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Stoke-on-Trent. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.