Crime in Ware: statistics, rates and trends
1,363 crimes were recorded in Ware in the 12 months to August 2026, 67.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (532), anti-social behaviour (301) and other theft (78) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 813th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Ware | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,363 | 10,712 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 67.8 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 20,115 | 156,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ware peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,671 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (1,276). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,363 | 67.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,339 | 66.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,372 | 68.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,278 | 63.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,276 | 63.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,344 | 66.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,412 | 70.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,671 | 83.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,530 | 76.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 158 |
| July 2026 | 128 |
| June 2026 | 110 |
| May 2026 | 124 |
| April 2026 | 86 |
| March 2026 | 103 |
| February 2026 | 102 |
| January 2026 | 73 |
| December 2025 | 122 |
| November 2025 | 108 |
| October 2025 | 115 |
| September 2025 | 134 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (61% below) and other crime (51% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 35 to 69 and shoplifting rose from 55 to 67, while other crime fell from 32 to 21 and criminal damage and arson fell from 97 to 74.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 532 | 26.4 | 34.2 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 301 | 15.0 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Other theft | 78 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 74 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Public order | 72 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Drugs | 69 | 3.4 | 3.3 | +97% |
| Vehicle crime | 68 | 3.4 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 67 | 3.3 | 8.5 | +22% |
| Burglary | 46 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Other crime | 21 | 1.0 | 2.1 | -34% |
| Robbery | 16 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ware; the highest is Waltham Cross (119.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Sawbridgeworth (53.6).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertford | 2,537 | 81.9 | +21% |
| Hoddesdon | 3,513 | 87.5 | +29% |
| Harlow | 10,574 | 110.3 | +63% |
| Welwyn Garden City | 5,088 | 100.0 | +48% |
| Cheshunt | 4,322 | 97.2 | +43% |
| Sawbridgeworth | 628 | 53.6 | -21% |
| Waltham Cross | 1,587 | 119.2 | +76% |
| Bishop's Stortford | 3,555 | 80.1 | +18% |
Of the 3 areas within Ware, Ware Priory had the highest crime rate (92.0 per 1,000) and Ware St Mary's the lowest (49.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ware Priory | Neighbourhood | 7,827 | 720 | 92.0 |
| Ware Trinity | Neighbourhood | 5,511 | 311 | 56.4 |
| Ware St Mary's | Neighbourhood | 6,777 | 332 | 49.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Ware over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (106).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 106 |
| On or near Roman Court | 59 |
| On or near Bridge Foot | 45 |
| On or near Mill Close | 36 |
| On or near Lady Margaret Gardens | 32 |
| On or near Cundalls Road | 30 |
| On or near East Street | 26 |
| On or near West Street | 25 |
| On or near Priory Street | 24 |
| On or near Church Street | 23 |
Of the 1,062 crimes in Ware with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 301 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 406 | 38.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 330 | 31.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 133 | 12.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 65 | 6.1% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 44 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 33 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 17 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Ware has an estimated population of 20,115 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ware average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ware | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ware a safe place to live?
Ware recorded 67.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 813th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ware?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 532 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (301).
Is crime in Ware going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ware was up 2% on the year before: 1,363 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,339 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ware?
About 20,115 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ware?
Ware is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.