Crime in West Kirby: statistics, rates and trends
655 crimes were recorded in West Kirby in the 12 months to August 2026, 48.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Kirby at a glance
- Crime trends in West Kirby
- Types of crime in West Kirby
- West Kirby compared with nearby towns
- Areas within West Kirby
- Streets with the most crime in West Kirby
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Kirby
- Demographics of West Kirby
- Questions about crime in West Kirby
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (228), anti-social behaviour (136) and public order (72) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,179th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | West Kirby | Wirral | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 655 | 26,029 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 48.4 | 79.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +16% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 13,535 | 328,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Kirby peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,012 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (565). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 35%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 655 | 48.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 565 | 41.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 656 | 48.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 809 | 59.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 855 | 63.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 911 | 67.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 782 | 57.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 890 | 65.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,012 | 74.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 75 |
| July 2026 | 68 |
| June 2026 | 49 |
| May 2026 | 76 |
| April 2026 | 56 |
| March 2026 | 62 |
| February 2026 | 36 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 40 |
| November 2025 | 39 |
| October 2025 | 44 |
| September 2025 | 59 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (71% below) and vehicle crime (70% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 28 to 52 and public order rose from 50 to 72, while other theft fell from 46 to 25 and criminal damage and arson fell from 59 to 46.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 228 | 16.8 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 136 | 10.0 | 15.4 | +15% |
| Public order | 72 | 5.3 | 6.7 | +44% |
| Shoplifting | 52 | 3.8 | 8.5 | +86% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 46 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Other theft | 25 | 1.8 | 6.4 | -46% |
| Burglary | 23 | 1.7 | 3.6 | +10% |
| Other crime | 22 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than West Kirby; the highest is Birkenhead (115.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Greasby (24.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Kirby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoylake | 329 | 54.1 | +12% |
| Greasby | 229 | 24.3 | -50% |
| Heswall | 1,000 | 34.1 | -29% |
| Birkenhead | 13,212 | 115.4 | +138% |
| Wallasey | 6,953 | 79.6 | +65% |
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | +80% |
| Holywell (Flintshire) | 963 | 110.8 | +129% |
| Neston (Cheshire West and Chester) | 755 | 51.7 | +7% |
West Kirby and Thurstaston is the one area listed within West Kirby, with 31.9 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Kirby and Thurstaston | Neighbourhood | 13,146 | 419 | 31.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in West Kirby over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Salisbury Avenue” (52).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Salisbury Avenue | 52 |
| On or near Acacia Grove | 35 |
| On or near Supermarket | 34 |
| On or near Parking Area | 32 |
| On or near B5139 | 28 |
| On or near Shrewsbury Road | 23 |
| On or near Sandlea Park | 16 |
| On or near West Kirby | 16 |
| On or near Carpenter'S Lane | 12 |
| On or near Bridge Road | 11 |
Of the 519 crimes in West Kirby with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 136 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 192 | 37.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 175 | 33.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 60 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 39 | 7.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
West Kirby has an estimated population of 13,535 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.5%, against 17.1%), an older population (29%, against 19%) and more retired residents (33%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Kirby average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | West Kirby | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 47.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 78.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Kirby a safe place to live?
West Kirby recorded 48.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,179th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in West Kirby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 228 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (136).
Is crime in West Kirby going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Kirby was up 16% on the year before: 655 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 565 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Kirby?
About 13,535 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Kirby?
West Kirby is policed by Merseyside.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.