Ware Crime Overview
Ware is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in Hertfordshire, and is the 51st most dangerous overall out of Hertfordshire's 141 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Ware in 2020 was 50 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Hertfordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 19% lower than the Hertfordshire rate of 60 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Ware is the 403rd safest small town, and the 2,996th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2020, Ware was the worst small town in Hertfordshire for criminal damage and arson, with 9 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.45 per 1,000 inhabitants. September 2020 was also a bad month for Ware residents, when it was Hertfordshire's most dangerous small town for drugs, recording 5 crimes at a rate of 0.25 per 1,000 residents. Ware recorded 1 report of possession of weapons during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.05 the worst small town for possession of weapons in Hertfordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Ware are violence and sexual offences, with 464 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 23. This is 10% higher than 2019's figure of 416 offences and a difference of 2.39 from 2019's crime rate of 21. Ware's least common crime is theft from the person, with 4 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 175% from 2019's figure of 11 crimes.
Compare Ware to other towns and cities
See how Ware shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Ware and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Ware Crime Map
Crime in Ware Compared To Hertfordshire
Summary of Crimes in Ware This Year
| Ware | Hertfordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 384 | 19.11 | 26,059 | 21.91 | 15% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 12 | 0.60 | 1,506 | 1.27 | 112% safer |
| Burglary | 47 | 2.34 | 4,023 | 3.38 | 44% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 97 | 4.83 | 7,241 | 6.09 | 26% safer |
| Drugs | 28 | 1.39 | 2,624 | 2.21 | 59% safer |
| Other Crime | 10 | 0.50 | 1,472 | 1.24 | 148% safer |
| Other Theft | 57 | 2.84 | 6,806 | 5.72 | 101% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 10 | 0.50 | 568 | 0.48 | 4.0% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 104 | 5.18 | 5,557 | 4.67 | 10% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.55 | 712 | 0.60 | 9% safer |
| Shoplifting | 79 | 3.93 | 6,358 | 5.35 | 36% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 4 | 0.20 | 818 | 0.69 | 245% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 91 | 4.53 | 6,730 | 5.66 | 25% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 464 | 23.09 | 26,803 | 22.53 | 2.4% more dangerous |
Ware Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tring | 485 | 38.80 | 30% safer |
| Sawbridgeworth | 364 | 40.13 | 26% safer |
| Royston | 689 | 40.43 | 25% safer |
| North Mymms | 384 | 41.20 | 22% safer |
| Welwyn | 376 | 41.46 | 22% safer |
| Ware | 1,014 | 50.47 | - |
| Baldock | 543 | 51.11 | 1.3% more dangerous |
| Aldenham | 513 | 53.41 | 6% more dangerous |
| St Stephen | 881 | 61.52 | 18% more dangerous |
| Potters Bar | 1,511 | 65.47 | 23% more dangerous |
| Waltham Cross | 1,260 | 115.49 | 56% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Ware
View crime percentage over time forWare Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 21 | 18 | 20 | 19 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.60 | Safer |
| Burglary | 4.8 | 6 | 3.1 | 2.3 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.50 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 4.8 | 5 | 5 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.95 | 0.50 | Safer |
| Public Order | 3.7 | 4.0 | 5 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.40 | 0.30 | 1.0 | 0.55 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 6 | 9 | 3.9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.85 | 0.65 | 0.55 | 0.20 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 5 | 7 | 7 | 4.5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 14 | 18 | 21 | 23 | Getting worse |
Changes In Ware's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Ware's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Ware that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buryfield Recreation Ground | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2.7 |
| Presdales Recreation Ground | 7 | - | 1 | - | - | 0 | 1.2 |
Comparing Ware to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Ware | 50.47 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 25% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 35% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 39% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 41% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 41% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 48% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 51% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 53% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 62% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 63% more dangerous |
Crime in Ware's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware East | 680 | 59 | First |
| Ware West | 334 | 39 | Second |
Crime in Ware During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Ware change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in November, when Ware saw a 400% increase in public order. Ware saw a large fall in shoplifting during May, when it fell by 93% compared to May in 2019. Shoplifting saw a fall in every month of Ware's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -18% | +3% | +50% | -24% | +14% | +66% | +31% | -73% | -13% | +26% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -75% | +50% | -75% | +100% | -50% | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | +20% | -43% | -20% | +50% | -50% | -20% | +50% | -38% | -25% | +17% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +11% | -60% | -17% | - | +14% | -56% | -58% | -31% | +86% | +29% |
| Drugs | +100% | -33% | - | -80% | -25% | - | +25% | +67% | -60% | - |
| Other Crime | +50% | - | - | -67% | -67% | - | - | -67% | - | - |
| Other Theft | -13% | -29% | -71% | -45% | -60% | -89% | -43% | +25% | - | -50% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | -50% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | +33% | -69% | -13% | +71% | -40% | -55% | +200% | -42% | +400% | +13% |
| Robbery | -50% | - | - | - | - | -67% | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -18% | -83% | -93% | -65% | -41% | -68% | -73% | -13% | +40% | -75% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -63% | -75% | -40% | - | -79% | -82% | +167% | -8% | -40% | -40% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +41% | -14% | -12% | +24% | -20% | +43% | +6% | +59% | +22% | +55% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Ware
What police force serves Ware?
Ware's local territorial police force is the Hertfordshire Constabulary.How dangerous is Ware?
Ware is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in Hertfordshire.What is Ware's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Ware are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Ware?
Ware's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 07 May 2021