Birkenhead is the most dangerous major town in Merseyside, and is the third most dangerous overall out of Merseyside's 39 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Birkenhead in 2021 was 135 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Merseyside's overall crime rate, coming in 23% higher than the Merseyside rate of 105 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Birkenhead is among the top 10 most dangerous major towns, and the 232nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2021, Birkenhead was the worst major town in Merseyside for burglary, with 39 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.43 per 1,000 inhabitants. August 2021 was also a bad month for Birkenhead residents, when it was Merseyside's most dangerous major town for criminal damage and arson, recording 121 crimes at a rate of 1.3 per 1,000 residents. Birkenhead recorded 80 reports of drugs during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.88 the worst major town for drugs in Merseyside that month.
The most common crimes in Birkenhead are violence and sexual offences, with 5,585 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 62. This is 19% higher than 2020's figure of 4,541 offences and a difference of 11.52 from 2020's crime rate of 50. Birkenhead's least common crime is robbery, with 89 offences recorded in 2021, an increase of 16% from 2020's figure of 75 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Merseyside
62% higher, regional crime rate
North West
43% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Birkenhead is 62% higher than the North West and 43% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Birkenhead | |
| North West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Birkenhead 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
Set up monthly updates on crime & public safety issues. We never spam.
Thanks! Please check your email and confirm your signup there.
| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 135 | 12,233 |
| 2020 | 116 | 10,521 |
| 2019 | 120 | 10,901 |
| 2018 | 123 | 11,117 |
| 2017 | 102 | 9,214 |
| 2016 | 92 | 8,299 |
We're available to answer questions about crime data and can supply custom data to support your work.
Email us directly
| Birkenhead | Merseyside | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,330 | 25.72 | 27,408 | 19.18 | 25% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 122 | 1.35 | 1,687 | 1.18 | 13% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 396 | 4.37 | 6,897 | 4.83 | 11% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,368 | 15.10 | 14,463 | 10.12 | 33% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 899 | 9.92 | 11,488 | 8.04 | 19% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 305 | 3.37 | 3,236 | 2.26 | 33% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 561 | 6.19 | 7,645 | 5.35 | 14% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 101 | 1.11 | 1,162 | 0.81 | 27% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,863 | 20.57 | 21,556 | 15.08 | 27% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 89 | 0.98 | 1,189 | 0.83 | 15% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 440 | 4.86 | 6,050 | 4.23 | 13% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 90 | 0.99 | 1,918 | 1.34 | 35% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 414 | 4.57 | 6,410 | 4.48 | 2.0% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 5,585 | 61.65 | 65,746 | 46.00 | 25% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Townsend Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Briardale Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Police Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near The Wiend | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Vittoria Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Carrington Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Cecil Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Mercer Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near B5148 | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Patricia Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Ward Grove | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Moss Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near King Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Rosedale Road | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Mona Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Goldsmith Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Queens Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Clee Hill Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Police Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Compton Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 33 | 25 | 38 | 26 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.4 | 0.82 | 0.97 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 8 | 7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 17 | 14 | 14 | 15 | Safer |
| Drugs | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 13 | 13 | 14 | 21 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.99 | 0.79 | 0.83 | 0.98 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 9 | 7 | 4.9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.99 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 6 | 4.4 | 4.6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 48 | 50 | 50 | 62 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Birkenhead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birkenhead Park | 120 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 12 | 2.9 |
| Birkenhead Park Rugby Club | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 1.5 |
| Edward Kemp Community Garden | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Oxton Cricket Ground | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 1.3 |
| Victoria Park | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0.26 |
Birkenhead Central is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Birkenhead, followed by Birkenhead South in second place, and Bidston Hill as the third most dangerous area. Birkenhead's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Claughton North, Noctorum South, and Prenton.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bidston Hill | 1,392 | 181 | Third |
| Birkenhead Central | 3,102 | 379 | First |
| Birkenhead South | 1,860 | 191 | Second |
| Claughton North | 558 | 69 | Ninth |
| Claughton South & Oxton North | 689 | 84 | Seventh |
| Egerton Park | 647 | 81 | Eighth |
| Noctorum North & Upton East | 611 | 88 | Sixth |
| Noctorum South | 376 | 46 | Tenth |
| Oxton South | 872 | 104 | Fifth |
| Prenton | 275 | 44 | 11th |
| Tranmere | 1,192 | 144 | Fourth |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Birkenhead for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Noctorum South (80) | Birkenhead Central (535) |
| Bicycle Theft | Prenton (1) | Birkenhead Central (54) |
| Burglary | Prenton (10) | Birkenhead Central (85) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Noctorum South (26) | Birkenhead Central (275) |
| Drugs | Noctorum South (10) | Birkenhead Central (305) |
| Other Crime | Prenton (6) | Birkenhead Central (67) |
| Other Theft | Prenton (7) | Birkenhead Central (152) |
| Possession of Weapons | Prenton (1) | Birkenhead Central (37) |
| Public Order | Prenton (44) | Birkenhead Central (504) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Noctorum South (1) | Birkenhead Central (26) |
| Shoplifting | Claughton North (1) | Birkenhead Central (197) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Prenton (2) | Birkenhead Central (36) |
| Vehicle Crime | Prenton (8) | Birkenhead Central (94) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Noctorum South (166) | Birkenhead Central (1,270) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Birkenhead change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in November, when Birkenhead saw a 275% increase in bicycle theft. Birkenhead saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 80% compared to April in 2019. Rates of shoplifting and vehicle crime both fell year-on-year for every month during Birkenhead's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +58% | +137% | +68% | +52% | +23% | +25% | +32% | +70% | +52% | +63% |
| Bicycle Theft | -13% | -60% | -33% | +75% | -36% | +38% | -22% | +150% | +275% | - |
| Burglary | -35% | -49% | -28% | -31% | -48% | -60% | +10% | +3% | -40% | -8% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +9% | -26% | -9% | -18% | +2% | -6% | -6% | -11% | +2% | -6% |
| Drugs | +94% | +124% | +85% | +6% | -21% | +38% | -10% | -18% | +7% | -3% |
| Other Crime | -7% | +17% | +50% | -5% | +32% | -4% | -17% | +25% | +93% | +32% |
| Other Theft | +19% | -36% | -19% | -54% | -18% | -6% | -18% | +14% | -27% | -11% |
| Possession of Weapons | +150% | -22% | -13% | +33% | +6% | -25% | +22% | +100% | -75% | -75% |
| Public Order | -1% | +6% | +44% | +55% | +15% | +10% | -3% | -28% | +5% | +15% |
| Robbery | -22% | +40% | - | -13% | +67% | +150% | - | - | +50% | +60% |
| Shoplifting | +25% | -39% | -51% | -37% | -30% | -45% | -8% | -64% | -21% | -56% |
| Theft From the Person | +100% | -80% | -80% | - | -47% | +22% | +9% | -13% | - | -36% |
| Vehicle Crime | -26% | -72% | -44% | -39% | -37% | -19% | -8% | +136% | -11% | -17% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -7% | - | -4% | -2% | +2% | +11% | +13% | 0% | -6% | -21% |
Search by area
