Stafford Crime Overview
Stafford is the third most dangerous major town in Staffordshire, and is the 35th most dangerous overall out of Staffordshire's 201 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Stafford in 2020 was 29 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Staffordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 2.3% lower than the Staffordshire rate of 29 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Stafford is the third safest major town, and the 4,590th safest location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In June 2020, Stafford had the worst crime rate in Staffordshire for public order, with 1 crime reported and a crime rate of 0.02 per 1,000 inhabitants. August 2020 was also a bad month for Stafford residents, when it was Staffordshire's most dangerous area for violence and sexual offences, recording 6 crimes at a rate of 0.09 per 1,000 residents. Stafford recorded 8 reports of bicycle theft during February 2019, making its crime rate of 0.12 the worst for bicycle theft in Staffordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Stafford are violence and sexual offences, with 908 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 14. This is 67% lower than 2019's figure of 1,516 offences and a difference of 9.33 from 2019's crime rate of 23. Stafford's least common crime is theft from the person, with 12 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 233% from 2019's figure of 40 crimes.
Compare Stafford to other towns and cities
See how Stafford shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Stafford and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Stafford Crime Map
Crime in Stafford Compared To Staffordshire
Summary of Crimes in Stafford This Year
| Stafford | Staffordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 998 | 15.33 | 15,935 | 14.03 | 8% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 18 | 0.28 | 257 | 0.23 | 18% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 93 | 1.43 | 2,025 | 1.78 | 24% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 214 | 3.29 | 4,177 | 3.68 | 12% safer |
| Drugs | 53 | 0.81 | 942 | 0.83 | 2.5% safer |
| Other Crime | 28 | 0.43 | 761 | 0.67 | 56% safer |
| Other Theft | 172 | 2.64 | 2,877 | 2.53 | 4.2% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 20 | 0.31 | 282 | 0.25 | 19% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 134 | 2.06 | 1,847 | 1.63 | 21% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 18 | 0.28 | 322 | 0.28 | 0% safer |
| Shoplifting | 134 | 2.06 | 1,867 | 1.64 | 20% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 12 | 0.18 | 166 | 0.15 | 17% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 54 | 0.83 | 2,022 | 1.78 | 114% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 908 | 13.95 | 15,600 | 13.74 | 1.5% more dangerous |
Stafford Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burton upon Trent | 1,175 | 15.15 | 88% safer |
| Cannock | 1,602 | 22.76 | 25% safer |
| Stafford | 1,858 | 28.54 | - |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 2,282 | 28.64 | 0.35% more dangerous |
| Tamworth | 2,370 | 30.90 | 8% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Stafford
View crime percentage over time forStafford Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 37 | 36 | 33 | 15 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.9 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.28 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.0 | 6 | 2.6 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 8 | 7 | 3.3 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.81 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.83 | 0.43 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 7 | 7 | 6 | 2.6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.66 | 0.95 | 0.77 | 0.31 | Safer |
| Public Order | 4.2 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.86 | 0.71 | 0.61 | 0.28 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 6 | 5 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.45 | 0.37 | 0.61 | 0.18 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.9 | 4.6 | 3.0 | 0.83 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 27 | 24 | 23 | 14 | Safer |
Changes In Stafford's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Stafford's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Stafford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford Common | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.02 |
Comparing Stafford to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford | 28.54 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 58% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 63% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 66% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 67% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 67% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 71% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 72% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 73% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 79% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 79% more dangerous |
Crime in Stafford's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Stafford | 637 | 66 | First |
| Doxey & Holmcroft | 198 | 23 | Fifth |
| Highfields & Burton Manor | 276 | 35 | Second |
| Mosspit & Silkmore Lane | 241 | 30 | Third |
| Stafford North East | 216 | 28 | Fourth |
Stafford Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Stafford for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Stafford North East (85) | Central Stafford (345) |
| Bicycle Theft | Mosspit & Silkmore Lane (1) | Central Stafford (11) |
| Burglary | Doxey & Holmcroft (11) | Central Stafford (26) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Doxey & Holmcroft (31) | Central Stafford (56) |
| Drugs | Stafford North East (2) | Central Stafford (20) |
| Other Crime | Stafford North East (2) | Central Stafford (7) |
| Other Theft | Stafford North East (13) | Central Stafford (73) |
| Possession of Weapons | Stafford North East (1) | Central Stafford (7) |
| Public Order | Doxey & Holmcroft (11) | Central Stafford (47) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Doxey & Holmcroft (1) | Central Stafford (14) |
| Shoplifting | Stafford North East (1) | Central Stafford (107) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Mosspit & Silkmore Lane (3) | Central Stafford (8) |
| Vehicle Crime | Mosspit & Silkmore Lane (5) | Central Stafford (16) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Doxey & Holmcroft (102) | Central Stafford (245) |
Crime in Stafford During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Stafford change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in March, when Stafford saw a 300% increase in drugs. Stafford saw a large fall in violence and sexual offences during July, when it fell by 99% compared to July in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +5% | +48% | -13% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -43% |
| Bicycle Theft | -50% | -50% | -71% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -33% |
| Burglary | -22% | +30% | -69% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +3% | -34% | -63% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -28% |
| Drugs | +300% | -13% | -47% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Crime | +29% | +100% | -40% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -80% |
| Other Theft | +33% | - | -85% | -98% | - | - | - | - | - | -35% |
| Possession of Weapons | +67% | -67% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | +73% | +59% | -65% | -92% | - | - | - | - | - | +47% |
| Robbery | - | +100% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -5% | -67% | -88% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -26% |
| Theft From the Person | - | -67% | -60% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -54% | -72% | -11% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -62% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +75% | +22% | -54% | - | -99% | -96% | - | -97% | -98% | -8% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Stafford
What police force serves Stafford?
Stafford's local territorial police force is the Staffordshire Police.How dangerous is Stafford?
Stafford is the third most dangerous major town in Staffordshire.What is Stafford's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Stafford are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Stafford?
Stafford's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 07 May 2021