England and Wales Crime Total Hits 6.6 Million

Download IPFS

Newly released figures show recorded crimes in England and Wales have reached 6.6 million during the first three months of 2025, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rise highlights a significant increase from 6.1 million in 2019-2020, and a steep jump from 4.2 million reported a decade ago.

Among the most notable changes was a 20% surge in shoplifting, reaching a record-breaking 530,643 offences. This is the highest figure since the introduction of the current police recording standards in 2003. Incidents of theft from the person also rose by 15%, climbing to 151,220 offences from the previous year’s 131,584.

While some crime categories have increased, the number of homicides fell by 6% to 535 recorded cases, marking the lowest homicide count in over a decade.

The Metropolitan Police, which covers Greater London, reported the highest number of offences overall, with 942,674 crimes logged. It also recorded the highest numbers across key categories, including homicides (104 cases), sexual offences (over 55,000 incidents), and shoplifting (nearly 94,000 cases).

Other forces with high crime totals included Greater Manchester Police with just over 319,000 offences, and West Midlands Police, logging nearly 309,000. In contrast, the City of London Police recorded just over 9,000 crimes, reflecting the force’s small geographic area. Cumbria Constabulary and Dyfed-Powys Police in Wales also recorded comparatively lower crime levels, at approximately 37,000 and 38,000 offences respectively.

The concentration of crime in large urban areas remains a consistent pattern. West Yorkshire Police reported around 22,700 shoplifting incidents, while West Midlands Police logged approximately 32,700 in the same category.

Despite the increase in some types of crime, long-term trends based on survey responses suggest that personal and household offences such as theft, criminal damage, and non-fatal violence have broadly declined since the mid-1990s. These estimates are gathered through the Crime Survey for England and Wales, which operates independently from police reporting and aims to capture unreported incidents.

However, the ONS noted that the latest estimates are still under development and comparisons between years should be made with caution. Some changes may not yet be statistically significant.

Retail groups have expressed concern that official shoplifting statistics may understate the true scale of the problem, particularly in town centres. Calls for improved deterrence and visible policing remain a priority for business owners.

The data also highlights significant regional differences in how crime is experienced and reported across the country. Larger metropolitan police forces continue to bear the brunt of public safety challenges, particularly in retail-heavy areas.

The ONS statistics include a range of offences but do not cover all types of crime. For instance, sexual offences, stalking, harassment, and domestic abuse are tracked through separate reporting mechanisms and are not captured in the primary household survey.