Crime in Birkenhead
Recorded crime in Birkenhead is 3.6 times the Wirral average and 3.4 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 20%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Birkenhead: about 12,045 residents in 17 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 8.1/10Good
- 5-year change
- −20%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 3.6×the Wirral average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Birkenhead.
Crime over 5 years
Down 20% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Birkenhead, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 3.6× the Wirral average (3.4× the England and Wales average). 296 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 64% of the harm here
- Drugs: 10% of the harm here
- Burglary: 8% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 64% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 61 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 3.1 |
| Burglary | 9.2 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 114.4 |
| Drugs | 24.8 |
| Possession of weapons | 3.4 |
| Other crime | 5.9 |
| Other theft | 17.5 |
| Theft from the person | 3.4 |
| Vehicle crime | 8.4 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 28.3 |
| Public order | 40.0 |
| Bicycle theft | 3.7 |
| Shoplifting | 33.4 |
Postcode districts in Birkenhead
Nearby towns
Council: Wirral
Questions about crime in Birkenhead
- Is Birkenhead a safe place to live?
- Birkenhead scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 3.6 times the Wirral average.
- Is crime going up or down in Birkenhead?
- Down 20% over 5 years, from 4,445 recorded crimes a year to 3,562.
- What is the most common crime in Birkenhead?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 114 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Birkenhead compare with Wirral?
- Crime severity in Birkenhead is 3.6 times the Wirral average.