Chester is the third safest major towns in Cheshire, and is the 29th most dangerous overall out of Cheshire's 321 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Chester in 2021 was 86 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Cheshire's overall crime rate, coming in 17% higher than the Cheshire rate of 72 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Chester is the 53rd safest major town, and the 901st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In September 2021, Chester had the worst crime rate in Cheshire for drugs, with 14 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.16 per 1,000 inhabitants. October 2021 was also a bad month for Chester residents, when it was Cheshire's most dangerous area for bicycle theft, recording 20 crimes at a rate of 0.23 per 1,000 residents. Chester recorded 68 reports of other theft during October 2021, making its crime rate of 0.77 the worst for other theft in Cheshire that month.
The most common crimes in Chester are violence and sexual offences, with 3,705 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 42. This is 14% higher than 2020's figure of 3,188 offences and a difference of 5.88 from 2020's crime rate of 36. Chester's least common crime is robbery, with 37 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 2.7% from 2020's figure of 38 crimes.
Third Safest
Major Towns, Cheshire
40% higher, regional crime rate
North West
11% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Chester is 40% higher than the North West and 11% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Chester | |
| North West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Chester represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86 | 7,567 |
| 2020 | 83 | 7,279 |
| 2019 | 94 | 8,277 |
| 2018 | 96 | 8,416 |
| 2017 | 96 | 8,473 |
| 2016 | 73 | 6,429 |
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| Chester | Cheshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,341 | 26.61 | 21,876 | 20.51 | 23% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 72 | 0.82 | 715 | 0.67 | 18% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 227 | 2.58 | 2,748 | 2.58 | 0% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 604 | 6.86 | 6,893 | 6.46 | 6% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 169 | 1.92 | 1,321 | 1.24 | 35% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 106 | 1.20 | 1,401 | 1.31 | 9% safer |
| Other Theft | 527 | 5.99 | 4,606 | 4.32 | 28% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 40 | 0.45 | 300 | 0.28 | 38% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,417 | 16.11 | 12,872 | 12.07 | 25% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 37 | 0.42 | 356 | 0.33 | 21% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 484 | 5.50 | 3,336 | 3.13 | 43% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 48 | 0.55 | 224 | 0.21 | 62% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 131 | 1.49 | 2,134 | 2.00 | 34% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,705 | 42.11 | 39,466 | 37.00 | 12% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warrington | 11,490 | 66.54 | 29% safer |
| Widnes | 5,171 | 80.71 | 7% safer |
| Chester | 7,567 | 86.01 | - |
| Ellesmere Port | 5,693 | 91.98 | 6% more dangerous |
| Runcorn | 5,754 | 93.27 | 8% more dangerous |
| Crewe | 7,227 | 96.43 | 11% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Rose Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Greenfields | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Union Walk | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Station Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Dorchester Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Blacon Hall Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Howard Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Shopping Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Newbury Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Bradshaw Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Gloucester Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Panton Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Upper Northgate Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Cwrt Y Terfyn | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Radnor Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Greyhound Park Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Rose Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Chester Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Volunteer Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Victoria Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 34 | 29 | 35 | 27 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 0.82 | Safer |
| Burglary | 4.4 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.5 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 1.9 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.58 | 0.58 | 0.58 | 0.45 | Safer |
| Public Order | 18 | 18 | 15 | 16 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.35 | 0.58 | 0.43 | 0.42 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.35 | 0.55 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 34 | 36 | 36 | 42 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Chester that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lime Wood Fields | 9 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 2.0 |
| Narrow Community Park | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1.9 |
| Westminster Park | 10 | 2 | 2 | - | 3 | 6 | 1.3 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 28% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 4.3% safer |
| Chester | 86.01 | - |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 4.5% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 5.0% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 16% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 23% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 30% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 34% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 35% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 43% more dangerous |
Chester Boughton West & Hoole is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Chester, followed by Blacon North in second place, and Blacon South as the third most dangerous area. Chester's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Chester Boughton East, Chester Handbridge Park, and Vicars Cross & Hoole East.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacon North | 620 | 102 | Second |
| Blacon South | 700 | 98 | Third |
| Chester Boughton East | 303 | 46 | Eighth |
| Chester Boughton West & Hoole | 1,145 | 130 | First |
| Chester Handbridge Park | 411 | 51 | Seventh |
| Lache | 361 | 56 | Sixth |
| Upton East | 417 | 57 | Fifth |
| Upton West & Heath | 628 | 61 | Fourth |
| Vicars Cross & Hoole East | 280 | 41 | Ninth |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Chester for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Upton West & Heath (100) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (340) |
| Bicycle Theft | Upton East (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (17) |
| Burglary | Upton West & Heath (14) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (33) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Vicars Cross & Hoole East (19) | Blacon South (69) |
| Drugs | Vicars Cross & Hoole East (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (59) |
| Other Crime | Chester Boughton East (3) | Blacon South (21) |
| Other Theft | Vicars Cross & Hoole East (16) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (72) |
| Possession of Weapons | Chester Handbridge Park (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (13) |
| Public Order | Vicars Cross & Hoole East (46) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (243) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Blacon South (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (10) |
| Shoplifting | Vicars Cross & Hoole East (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (71) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Chester Handbridge Park (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (9) |
| Vehicle Crime | Upton East (1) | Chester Boughton West & Hoole (19) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Chester Handbridge Park (184) | Blacon North (359) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Chester change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Chester saw a 600% increase in possession of weapons. Chester saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 91% compared to May in 2019. Rates of other theft and theft from the person both fell year-on-year for every month during Chester's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -8% | +80% | +83% | +29% | -10% | +36% | -1% | +8% | +27% | +5% |
| Bicycle Theft | -67% | -50% | -33% | +9% | +38% | +62% | -38% | +33% | +100% | +200% |
| Burglary | +27% | -61% | -31% | +47% | +8% | -62% | -32% | -6% | +18% | -23% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +3% | -57% | -21% | +4% | -34% | -16% | -38% | -39% | +4% | -26% |
| Drugs | -45% | +4% | - | -6% | -21% | -37% | -68% | -33% | -39% | -59% |
| Other Crime | +50% | -71% | -57% | -47% | +89% | +44% | -22% | -30% | -38% | -44% |
| Other Theft | -23% | -77% | -40% | -46% | -30% | +11% | -52% | -50% | -14% | -25% |
| Possession of Weapons | +25% | +133% | -80% | +150% | -50% | -78% | +100% | +600% | -33% | -44% |
| Public Order | -25% | -45% | -19% | +4% | -21% | +21% | -1% | -12% | -39% | -33% |
| Robbery | -50% | - | -40% | -60% | +33% | -71% | +33% | +133% | +300% | -33% |
| Shoplifting | +17% | -51% | -19% | +6% | -5% | -23% | -52% | +7% | +2% | -25% |
| Theft From the Person | -40% | -80% | -91% | -83% | -50% | -67% | -91% | - | -75% | -89% |
| Vehicle Crime | -50% | -53% | -58% | +75% | +47% | -55% | +27% | -82% | -58% | -76% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -5% | -28% | -7% | +41% | +2% | +10% | -6% | -9% | +3% | -16% |
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