Crime in Dewsbury
Recorded crime in Dewsbury is 1.4 times the Kirklees average and 1.7 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 17%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Dewsbury: about 25,855 residents in 25 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 8.4/10Good
- 5-year change
- −17%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.4×the Kirklees average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Dewsbury.
Crime over 5 years
Down 17% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Dewsbury, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.4× the Kirklees average (1.7× the England and Wales average). 142 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 62% of the harm here
- Burglary: 14% of the harm here
- Robbery: 7% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 62% 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: 21 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 | 1.9 |
| Burglary | 7.8 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 54.9 |
| Drugs | 4.6 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.3 |
| Other crime | 3.7 |
| Other theft | 10.2 |
| Theft from the person | 2.1 |
| Vehicle crime | 9.9 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 12.9 |
| Public order | 18.6 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.7 |
| Shoplifting | 13.7 |
Postcode districts in Dewsbury
Nearby towns
Council: Kirklees
Questions about crime in Dewsbury
- Is Dewsbury a safe place to live?
- Dewsbury scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.4 times the Kirklees average.
- Is crime going up or down in Dewsbury?
- Down 17% over 5 years, from 3,915 recorded crimes a year to 3,239.
- What is the most common crime in Dewsbury?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 55 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Dewsbury compare with Kirklees?
- Crime severity in Dewsbury is 1.4 times the Kirklees average.