Ludlow Crime Overview
Ludlow is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in Shropshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Shropshire's 232 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Ludlow in 2020 was 62 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Shropshire's overall crime rate, coming in 7% higher than the Shropshire rate of 58 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Ludlow is the 292nd most dangerous small town, and the 1,945th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In June 2020, Ludlow was the worst small town in Shropshire for bicycle theft, with 1 crime reported and a crime rate of 0.10 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2020 was also a bad month for Ludlow residents, when it was Shropshire's most dangerous small town for possession of weapons, recording 4 crimes at a rate of 0.39 per 1,000 residents. Ludlow recorded 22 reports of shoplifting during October 2020, making its crime rate of 2.1 the worst small town for shoplifting in Shropshire that month.
The most common crimes in Ludlow are violence and sexual offences, with 271 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 26. This is 2.2% higher than 2019's figure of 265 offences and a difference of 0.58 from 2019's crime rate of 26. Ludlow's least common crime is theft from the person, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 50% from 2019's figure of 3 crimes.
Compare Ludlow to other towns and cities
See how Ludlow shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Ludlow and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Ludlow Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Ludlow This Year
| Ludlow | Shropshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 223 | 21.71 | 10,746 | 21.34 | 1.7% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 4 | 0.39 | 218 | 0.43 | 10% safer |
| Burglary | 34 | 3.31 | 1,928 | 3.83 | 16% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 69 | 6.72 | 3,287 | 6.53 | 2.8% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.17 | 945 | 1.88 | 61% safer |
| Other Crime | 3 | 0.29 | 598 | 1.19 | 310% safer |
| Other Theft | 50 | 4.87 | 2,276 | 4.52 | 7% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 9 | 0.88 | 364 | 0.72 | 18% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 49 | 4.77 | 1,768 | 3.51 | 26% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.39 | 198 | 0.39 | 0% safer |
| Shoplifting | 110 | 10.71 | 2,017 | 4.01 | 63% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 2 | 0.19 | 159 | 0.32 | 68% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 18 | 1.75 | 1,339 | 2.66 | 52% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 271 | 26.38 | 13,886 | 27.58 | 4.5% safer |
Crime in Ludlow Compared To Shropshire
Ludlow Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madeley | 1,055 | 56.44 | 10% safer |
| Shifnal | 488 | 56.59 | 9% safer |
| Whitchurch Urban | 630 | 60.01 | 3.0% safer |
| Market Drayton | 741 | 60.11 | 2.8% safer |
| Great Dawley | 739 | 61.24 | 0.95% safer |
| Ludlow | 635 | 61.82 | - |
| Stirchley and Brookside | 718 | 68.07 | 9% more dangerous |
| Lawley and Overdale | 739 | 68.57 | 10% more dangerous |
| Oswestry | 1,252 | 68.73 | 10% more dangerous |
Ludlow Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 43 | 43 | 36 | 22 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.49 | 0.29 | 0.19 | 0.39 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.3 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 12 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.4 | 0.97 | 1.4 | 0.29 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4.9 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.78 | 0.68 | 0.39 | 0.88 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 3.7 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 4.8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.29 | 0.39 | 0.10 | 0.39 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 11 | 7 | 11 | Getting worse |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.19 | 1.1 | 0.29 | 0.19 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 5.0 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 22 | 25 | 26 | 26 | Getting worse |
Changes In Ludlow's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Ludlow to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Ludlow | 61.82 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 9% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 20% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 26% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 28% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 28% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 37% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 40% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 42% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 54% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 55% more dangerous |
Crime in Ludlow's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ludlow Town | 658 | 60 | First |
Crime in Ludlow During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Ludlow change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Ludlow saw a 300% increase in drugs. Ludlow saw a large fall in shoplifting during May, when it fell by 93% compared to May in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +29% | +28% | +43% | +28% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | +50% | +200% | -20% | +100% | -67% | - | -20% | -25% | - | -78% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +60% | -40% | -60% | -56% | -25% | - | +20% | -17% | -38% | -33% |
| Drugs | - | - | - | - | - | - | -50% | +300% | -50% | -67% |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Theft | -14% | -57% | +25% | +100% | +150% | - | +100% | -29% | -50% | +40% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | - | +100% | +40% | -17% | +233% | -25% | - | +167% | +100% | - |
| Shoplifting | +200% | -50% | -93% | - | +33% | +275% | +100% | +214% | +20% | -43% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | - | -20% | -80% | - | -50% | -20% | +200% | - | - | -50% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -5% | +20% | -44% | - | +33% | -18% | +95% | -48% | -48% | +25% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Ludlow
What police force serves Ludlow?
Ludlow's local territorial police force is the West Mercia Police.How dangerous is Ludlow?
Ludlow is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in Shropshire.What is Ludlow's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Ludlow are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Ludlow?
Ludlow's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021