Crime in Wem: statistics, rates and trends
444 crimes were recorded in Wem in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 14% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (217), anti-social behaviour (66) and criminal damage and arson (36) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 772nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Wem | Shropshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 444 | 19,214 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.2 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +14% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 6,325 | 332,455 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wem peaked in the year to August 2019 (583 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (390). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 444 | 70.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 390 | 61.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 390 | 61.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 513 | 81.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 400 | 63.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 506 | 80.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 518 | 81.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 583 | 92.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 534 | 84.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 45 |
| July 2026 | 48 |
| June 2026 | 51 |
| May 2026 | 31 |
| April 2026 | 26 |
| March 2026 | 46 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 49 |
| October 2025 | 38 |
| September 2025 | 32 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (59% below) and other theft (44% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 164 to 217.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 217 | 34.3 | 34.2 | +32% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 66 | 10.4 | 15.4 | -7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 36 | 5.7 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Public order | 28 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 23 | 3.6 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 22 | 3.5 | 8.5 | +10% |
| Burglary | 18 | 2.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Wem; the highest is Telford (95.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Bayston Hill (30.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitchurch (Shropshire) | 707 | 69.3 | -1% |
| Ellesmere | 295 | 57.9 | -18% |
| Market Drayton | 872 | 68.0 | -3% |
| Shrewsbury | 6,458 | 82.1 | +17% |
| Bayston Hill | 157 | 30.5 | -57% |
| Oswestry | 1,495 | 82.3 | +17% |
| Newport (Telford and Wrekin) | 735 | 53.9 | -23% |
| Telford | 15,813 | 95.4 | +36% |
Wem is the one area listed within Wem, with 58.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wem | Neighbourhood | 9,629 | 565 | 58.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in Wem over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (45).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 45 |
| On or near Oak Avenue | 39 |
| On or near Crown Street | 25 |
| On or near Shawbury Road | 19 |
| On or near The Grove | 17 |
| On or near Wem | 16 |
| On or near Park Road | 15 |
| On or near B5063 | 13 |
| On or near Cordwell Park | 13 |
| On or near Bailey Close | 11 |
Of the 378 crimes in Wem with a recorded outcome, 15% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 66 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 211 | 55.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 67 | 17.7% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 56 | 14.8% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 20 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 2.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Wem has an estimated population of 6,325 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (28%, against 19%), more retired residents (30%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wem average decile 5.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Wem | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wem a safe place to live?
Wem recorded 70.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 772nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Wem?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 217 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (66).
Is crime in Wem going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wem was up 14% on the year before: 444 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 390 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wem?
About 6,325 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wem?
Wem 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.