Shropshire Star

Police map shows Shropshire crime hotspots

Almost 3,500 crimes were reported across Shropshire in one month, according to police figures – with more than half committed in just two towns.

Published

West Mercia Police revealed 3,474 crimes were reported across Shropshire in October, the latest month for which figures are available.

Anti-social behaviour topped the list with offences of a sexual or violent nature the second most common.

  • Telford: 1,289

  • Shrewsbury: 656

  • Oswestry: 245

  • Newport: 244

  • Newtown: 131

  • Whitchurch: 115

  • Market Drayton: 103

  • Ludlow: 99

  • Bridgnorth: 84

  • Albrighton: 77

  • Welshpool: 64

  • Wem: 62

  • Gnosall: 44

  • Highley: 40

  • Craven Arms: 31

  • Shawbury: 30

  • Ellesmere: 25

  • Cleobury Mortimer: 24

  • Chirk: 20

  • Bishop’s Castle: 16

  • Church Stretton: 15

  • Llanfair Caereinion: 11

  • Clun: four

  • Neenton: one

Telford was the county's crime hotspot with 1,289 offences reported. Shrewsbury had the second highest number with 656 crimes reported.

Oswestry with 245 crimes reported and Newport with 244 offences came in third and fourth place. The four towns accounted for almost three-quarters of all crime in the county.

In fifth place for Shropshire was Whitchurch with 115 offences, although across the border in Newtown the figure was 131.

The figures are revealed on a website police.uk which provides up to date crime figures of every area. It enables people to look at Shropshire as a whole or type in their postcode and look at their neighbourhood.

Telford MP David Wright said anti-social behaviour was a problem repeatedly raised at his constituency surgeries. He added: "Anti-social behaviour is a real blight for the communities affected and we need to be more proactive in dealing with these offences."

Broken down by council ward, Shrewsbury Central had the highest crime rate with a total of 241 reported, 96 involved anti-social behaviour and 39 involved sex or violence.

Dawley and Malinslee, in Telford, was the second highest with 215 offences, including 70 incidences of anti-social behaviour and 25 sex or violence crimes.

In Oswestry, anti-social behaviour accounted for 106 crimes reported with 41 offences involving sex or violence.

Duncan Kerr, councillor for Castle Ward on Oswestry Town Council, said: "The town is not getting the resources it needs. We don't see the police on the beat like we used to."

The figure for Newport includes the Newport Council ward, plus the areas immediately around it. Within Newport ward, there were a total of 97 offences, 31 for anti-social behaviour, 16 criminal damage or arson and 13 involving sex or violence.

But the village of Neenton, south-west of Bridgnorth, and its surrounding areas saw just one crime, a theft.

The Clun area also had one of the lowest crime rates with just four reported, three for anti-social behaviour and a theft.

In Market Drayton there were 103 crimes reported, although there were 132 crimes in the larger council ward. Ludlow saw 99 offences.

  • To see the crime map for your area visit www.police.uk and click on 'Find your neighbourhood'

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