Macclesfield Crime Overview
Macclesfield is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Cheshire, and is the 32nd most dangerous overall out of Cheshire's 343 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Macclesfield in 2020 was 80 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Cheshire's overall crime rate, coming in 9% higher than the Cheshire rate of 73 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Macclesfield is the 88th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 1,010th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In April 2020, Macclesfield had the worst crime rate in Cheshire for bicycle theft, with 13 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.23 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2018 was also a bad month for Macclesfield residents, when it was Cheshire's most dangerous area for possession of weapons, recording 6 crimes at a rate of 0.11 per 1,000 residents. Macclesfield recorded 6 reports of robbery during November 2017, making its crime rate of 0.11 the worst for robbery in Cheshire that month.
The most common crimes in Macclesfield are violence and sexual offences, with 2,178 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 39. This is 8% higher than 2019's figure of 2,001 offences and a difference of 3.17 from 2019's crime rate of 36. Macclesfield's least common crime is theft from the person, with 10 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 310% from 2019's figure of 41 crimes.
Compare Macclesfield to other towns and cities
See how Macclesfield shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Macclesfield and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Macclesfield Crime Map
Crime in Macclesfield Compared To Cheshire
Summary of Crimes in Macclesfield This Year
| Macclesfield | Cheshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,577 | 28.27 | 27,840 | 26.10 | 8% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 55 | 0.99 | 1,116 | 1.05 | 6% safer |
| Burglary | 194 | 3.48 | 3,394 | 3.18 | 9% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 470 | 8.42 | 7,682 | 7.20 | 14% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 89 | 1.60 | 1,624 | 1.52 | 5% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 74 | 1.33 | 1,520 | 1.43 | 8% safer |
| Other Theft | 248 | 4.45 | 4,722 | 4.43 | 0.45% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 22 | 0.39 | 323 | 0.30 | 23% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 765 | 13.71 | 12,451 | 11.67 | 15% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 25 | 0.45 | 377 | 0.35 | 22% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 199 | 3.57 | 4,410 | 4.13 | 16% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 10 | 0.18 | 220 | 0.21 | 17% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 114 | 2.04 | 2,332 | 2.19 | 7% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,178 | 39.04 | 37,427 | 35.09 | 10% more dangerous |
Macclesfield Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Sankey | 792 | 25.96 | 207% safer |
| Wilmslow | 1,514 | 58.73 | 36% safer |
| Congleton | 1,992 | 74.79 | 6% safer |
| Macclesfield | 4,443 | 79.64 | - |
| Winsford | 2,989 | 94.40 | 16% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Macclesfield
View crime percentage over time forRecent Crimes in Macclesfield
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lathom Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lathom Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Other crime | On or near Brindley Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Shoplifting | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Churchside | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Shoplifting | On or near Boden Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Shoplifting | On or near Boden Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Adlington Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Adlington Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Adlington Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Adlington Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Adlington Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Adlington Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Lowerfield Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Spencer Brook | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Vehicle crime | On or near Old Mill Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Vehicle crime | On or near Thistleton Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Ludlow Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ludlow Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Oxford Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
Macclesfield Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 28 | 22 | 22 | 28 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.82 | 1.2 | 0.79 | 0.99 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.7 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.6 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.43 | 0.54 | 0.43 | 0.39 | Safer |
| Public Order | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.32 | 0.27 | 0.43 | 0.45 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.47 | 0.75 | 0.73 | 0.18 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.0 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 28 | 34 | 36 | 39 | Getting worse |
Changes In Macclesfield's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Macclesfield to the UK's Major Cities
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 18% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 2.9% safer |
| Macclesfield | 79.64 | - |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 4.3% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 7% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 8% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 18% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 23% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 26% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 40% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 42% more dangerous |
Crime in Macclesfield's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Macclesfield | 1,388 | 135 | First |
| Macclesfield Bollinbrook | 502 | 70 | Fourth |
| Macclesfield East & Hurdsfield | 744 | 90 | Second |
| Macclesfield Tytherington | 213 | 36 | Sixth |
| Macclesfield Upton Priory & Greenside | 445 | 59 | Fifth |
| Macclesfield Weston | 479 | 71 | Third |
Macclesfield Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Macclesfield for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Macclesfield Tytherington (96) | Central Macclesfield (605) |
| Bicycle Theft | Macclesfield Tytherington (1) | Central Macclesfield (20) |
| Burglary | Macclesfield Upton Priory & Greenside (12) | Central Macclesfield (69) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Macclesfield Tytherington (16) | Central Macclesfield (147) |
| Drugs | Macclesfield Bollinbrook (4) | Central Macclesfield (44) |
| Other Crime | Macclesfield Tytherington (2) | Macclesfield Bollinbrook (14) |
| Other Theft | Macclesfield Upton Priory & Greenside (22) | Central Macclesfield (79) |
| Possession of Weapons | Macclesfield Upton Priory & Greenside (1) | Central Macclesfield (9) |
| Public Order | Macclesfield Tytherington (40) | Central Macclesfield (272) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Macclesfield Upton Priory & Greenside (1) | Macclesfield Bollinbrook (10) |
| Shoplifting | Macclesfield Weston (4) | Central Macclesfield (105) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Macclesfield East & Hurdsfield (1) | Central Macclesfield (7) |
| Vehicle Crime | Macclesfield Upton Priory & Greenside (7) | Macclesfield East & Hurdsfield (27) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Macclesfield Tytherington (107) | Central Macclesfield (577) |
Crime in Macclesfield During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Macclesfield change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Macclesfield saw a 550% increase in bicycle theft. Macclesfield saw a large fall in bicycle theft during June, when it fell by 89% compared to June in 2019. Macclesfield saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including other theft, shoplifting, and vehicle crime.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +17% | +83% | +52% | +58% | -24% | +4% | +32% | -24% | +25% | +112% |
| Bicycle Theft | +20% | +550% | +200% | -89% | -50% | +200% | -75% | +50% | -25% | -50% |
| Burglary | +69% | +154% | -48% | -50% | -70% | -12% | - | -65% | - | +38% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +54% | -38% | -43% | -32% | -19% | -18% | -9% | -43% | -18% | +2% |
| Drugs | -10% | - | -50% | +8% | +33% | - | -86% | +42% | - | -75% |
| Other Crime | -50% | -88% | -38% | +100% | -57% | +50% | +50% | +50% | +100% | +50% |
| Other Theft | -40% | -44% | -4% | -32% | +4% | -33% | -59% | -48% | -9% | -35% |
| Possession of Weapons | +100% | - | - | - | +100% | - | -33% | +50% | +100% | - |
| Public Order | -22% | -34% | -2% | +1% | -37% | -12% | +8% | -39% | -33% | +14% |
| Robbery | -60% | - | -67% | - | - | -75% | - | +50% | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -43% | -59% | -68% | -86% | -33% | -50% | -61% | -63% | -54% | - |
| Theft From the Person | -50% | - | - | - | -50% | -50% | - | -83% | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -39% | -76% | -61% | +14% | -56% | -25% | -40% | -18% | -23% | -53% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -12% | -19% | +19% | +9% | -2% | +15% | +23% | -6% | +28% | +21% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Macclesfield
What police force serves Macclesfield?
Macclesfield's local territorial police force is the Cheshire Constabulary.How dangerous is Macclesfield?
Macclesfield is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Cheshire.What is Macclesfield's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Macclesfield are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Macclesfield?
Macclesfield's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 31 Dec 2021