Ross-on-Wye Crime Overview
Ross-on-Wye is the second most dangerous small town in Herefordshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Herefordshire's 238 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Ross-on-Wye in 2020 was 67 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Herefordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 23% higher than the Herefordshire rate of 52 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Ross-on-Wye is the 233rd most dangerous small town, and the 1,615th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Ross-on-Wye had the worst crime rate in Herefordshire for theft from the person, with 2 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.20 per 1,000 inhabitants. January 2019 was also a bad month for Ross-on-Wye residents, when it was Herefordshire's most dangerous area for possession of weapons, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.20 per 1,000 residents. Ross-on-Wye recorded 3 reports of vehicle crime during February 2018, making its crime rate of 0.29 the worst for vehicle crime in Herefordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Ross-on-Wye are violence and sexual offences, with 321 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 31. This is 6% higher than 2019's figure of 301 offences and a difference of 1.95 from 2019's crime rate of 29. Ross-on-Wye's least common crime is robbery, with 1 offence recorded in 2020.
Compare Ross-on-Wye to other towns and cities
See how Ross-on-Wye shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Ross-on-Wye and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Ross-on-Wye Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Ross-on-Wye This Year
| Ross-on-Wye | Herefordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 281 | 27.44 | 3,889 | 20.20 | 26% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 5 | 0.49 | 131 | 0.68 | 39% safer |
| Burglary | 39 | 3.81 | 581 | 3.02 | 21% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 83 | 8.10 | 1,070 | 5.56 | 31% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 33 | 3.22 | 485 | 2.52 | 22% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 18 | 1.76 | 185 | 0.96 | 45% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 44 | 4.30 | 854 | 4.44 | 3.3% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 8 | 0.78 | 113 | 0.59 | 24% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 41 | 4.00 | 698 | 3.63 | 9% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.10 | 60 | 0.31 | 210% safer |
| Shoplifting | 64 | 6.25 | 488 | 2.53 | 60% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 7 | 0.68 | 46 | 0.24 | 65% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 21 | 2.05 | 334 | 1.73 | 16% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 321 | 31.34 | 4,873 | 25.31 | 19% more dangerous |
Crime in Ross-on-Wye Compared To Herefordshire
Ross-on-Wye Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ledbury | 373 | 38.33 | 74% safer |
| Ross-on-Wye | 685 | 66.88 | - |
| Leominster | 920 | 74.19 | 10% more dangerous |
Ross-on-Wye Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 42 | 42 | 47 | 27 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.49 | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0.49 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 6 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 6 | 9 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 4.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 10 | 8 | 7 | 4.3 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.59 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.78 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.6 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 4.0 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.10 | 0.20 | - | 0.10 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 5.0 | 7 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.4 | 0.88 | 0.68 | 0.68 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 2.0 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 26 | 25 | 29 | 31 | Getting worse |
Changes In Ross-on-Wye's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Ross-on-Wye to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Ross-on-Wye | 66.88 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 1.2% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 14% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 20% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 22% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 22% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 31% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 35% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 38% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 50% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 51% more dangerous |
Crime in Ross-on-Wye's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross-on-Wye | 729 | 64 | First |
Crime in Ross-on-Wye During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Ross-on-Wye change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in August, when Ross-on-Wye saw a 400% increase in burglary. Ross-on-Wye saw a large fall in shoplifting during April, when it fell by 86% compared to April in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -13% | +128% | +50% | +2% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | - | +100% | +100% | - | -67% | +400% | +50% | -50% | -50% | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -38% | -44% | +25% | -67% | +167% | -17% | -27% | +25% | -33% | +40% |
| Drugs | - | - | +350% | - | - | -40% | - | - | - | - |
| Other Crime | - | -67% | - | - | - | - | - | +300% | - | -75% |
| Other Theft | -67% | -67% | -50% | - | -57% | -40% | -17% | - | -43% | - |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | -67% | -67% | - | +100% | +100% | - | -33% | - | +100% | +200% |
| Shoplifting | +38% | -86% | -78% | -83% | -29% | +33% | +100% | -80% | -38% | -60% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | +100% |
| Vehicle Crime | -50% | -60% | - | - | - | - | - | -75% | - | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -11% | -14% | -18% | +75% | -6% | +100% | +32% | +32% | -34% | -44% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Ross-on-Wye
What police force serves Ross-on-Wye?
Ross-on-Wye's local territorial police force is the West Mercia Police.How dangerous is Ross-on-Wye?
Ross-on-Wye is the second most dangerous small town in Herefordshire.What is Ross-on-Wye's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Ross-on-Wye are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Ross-on-Wye?
Ross-on-Wye's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021