A major metropolitan hub at the heart of England, and the namesake of its county Leicestershire, the city of Leicester holds multiple claims to fame, from its place as one of the UK’s oldest cities to an exceptional sporting scene that spans multiple different disciplines.
That all comes in addition to offering a melting pot of culture and commerce. With a conurbation that makes it England’s 11th largest city, and a skyline that juxtaposes a Gothic cathedral against sleek modern architecture, it’s easy to recognise the huge appeal Leicester has. However, it’s unfortunately not all positivity.
Leicester, as with much of the UK, faces an uphill battle when it comes to tackling crime. And as one of the UK’s foremost security companies, Churchill Support Services are fully committed to ensuring that you’re not only kept safe but knowledgeable.
With our latest article, we’ll break down the most dangerous areas of the city, looking at what types of crime plague Leicester, and how you can make a more informed about where you lay down roots for your home, business or retirement plans.
In order to maintain a completely factual and objective overview, we use the Leicestershire Police data repository, alongside our own independent research. We’ll be using Leicester Council’s official wards to better categorise our data, and present our findings in an easy-to-understand format.
We then represent this as a ratio of crimes per 1,000 people living in the area. This not only allows us to better take a clearer look at each district of Leicester, but to account for key variables like population and the size of the region.
A bustling hub for the East Midlands, Leicester draws in both tourists and settlers in equal measure. Coupling copious amounts of residential and business opportunities with a thriving nightlife and cultural scene, the city has undeniable charm and appeal that’s earnt it a coveted spot as one England’s most populous cities.
However, such popularity inevitably brings with it the wrong kinds of people, and Leicester is sadly no different in that regard. With an overall crime rate of 127.8 crimes per 1000 residents, it’s clear there’s some way to go before the city can be considered safe.
Digging deeper into that rate, we find substantial figures across multiple different concerning types of crime, including violent offences (21,815 incidents), public order offences (7240 incidents) and criminal damage (5258 incidents). The city also saw a rate of robbery (563 incidents) that’s almost double the county-wide average.
Of course, that’s not to say every area of the city experiences the same issues – far from it. Let’s look in more detail at the most dangerous areas in Leicester, and the crime statistics that make them stand out in the worst possible way.
Flanked by Melton Brook to the north and Scraptoft Brook to the south, the residential area of Humberstone offers scenic views across its green spaces and retail opportunities. Plus with a crime rate of 88.3 crimes per 1000 residents, it’s also one of Leicester’s safer areas.
That’s not to say there’s no issues in Humberstone and Hamilton, though. High rates of violent crime (871 incidents), public order offences (202 incidents) and antisocial behaviour (182 incidents) underscore the need to invest in security and safety measures across the region.
One of Leicester’s more affluent districts, Stoneygate is characterised by its large proportion of Victorian and Tudor architecture, as well as its large conservation area set out to preserve the historic parts of the city. A crime rate of 98.8 crimes per 1000 residents does undercut that slightly, however.
Violent crime (761 incidents) is Stoneygate’s main issue, but there’s equally worrying figures across public order offences (240 incidents) and antisocial behaviour (197 incidents), as well as a concerning number of drug-related crimes (134 incidents).
Rooted in its natural beauty and keen sense of Leicester’s yesteryears, the borough of Evington is one of the city’s greener, with its eponymous parks and arboretum home offering sweeping vistas over the region. However, beneath that natural beauty lurks a rising crime rate of 105.9 crimes per 1000 residents.
Within that rate, we find high numbers of violent crimes (605 incidents), public order offences (205 incidents) and antisocial behaviour (191 incidents), all of which have seen year-on-year rises since the start of the pandemic.
Redeveloped following the First World War, the area of Coleman and North Evington is now predominantly a residential district, encompassing over 12,000 permanent Leicester residents. However, despite that close-knit atmosphere, the ward sees a substantial crime rate of 107.1 crimes per 1000 residents.
There’s a few key different types of crime that make up that overall rate, namely violent and sexual offences (524 incidents) and public order offences (187 incidents), as well as a concerning amount of vehicle crimes (80 incidents).
Perhaps most recognised for its sprawling park at the centre of the ward, Spinney Hills surrounds that greenery with banks of closely compacted residential properties and conservation areas. While it may sound idyllic, that natural beauty is offset by a soaring crime rate – 116.9 crimes per 1000 residents.
The main issue facing Spinney Hills residents is the alarming number of violent crimes (703 offences), although there’s mounting concern surrounding the steadily increasing rates of antisocial behaviour (125 offences) and criminal damage (118 offences).
So named for the visually stunning religious building in the south of the ward, Abbey also combines the tranquillity of its namesake park with the hustle and bustle of its winding residential streets. While one might expect this to lead to a calmer way of life, the crime statistics tell a drastically different story, with 123.1 crimes per 1000 residents.
That’s made up by several different types of criminal behaviour, including high rates of violent crime (974 incidents), criminal damage (307 incidents) and public order offences (299 incidents), all of which underline the need to invest in security services Leicester-wide.
A major retail and commerce area just outside of the city centre, the Belgrave area shares its borders with the banks of the River Soar, offering a scenic vista from the eponymic meadow and gardens, as well as the Thurcaston Road Bridge. With such natural beauty unfortunately comes the sledgehammer blow of a high crime rate – 125.4 crimes per 1000 residents.
The most pressing issues face Belgrave businesses and residents are the high rates across violent crime (875 incidents), public order offences (435 incidents) and antisocial behaviour (292 incidents).
A thriving area with strong links to industry, retail and Leicester’s sporting credentials, the ward of Beaumont Leys is perhaps most know for being home to Walkers Crisps factory, as well as one of the city’s largest shopping centres. However, with a crime rate of 137.3 crimes per 1000 residents, it’s an area where caution is key.
High rates of both violent crime (1095 offences) and criminal damage (317 offences) are the key concerns for residents, making up more than 54% of all criminal activity across Beaumont Leys. Equally concerning are the soaring numbers in antisocial behaviour (206 offences) and vehicle crime (148 offences).
Best exemplified by the vast Aylestone Meadows Nature Reserve, as well as the prestigious Leicester City Youth Academy, the ward of Aylestone seamlessly blends natural splendour with the conveniences of modern life. However, an above-average crime rate of 141.8 crimes per 1000 residents means that life in Aylestone isn’t as safe as one may expect.
Taking a deep dive into the that crime rate, we find substantial rates of violent crime (635 incidents), criminal damage (194 incidents) and public order offences (166 incidents), alongside a rate of drug crime (157 incidents) that’s one of the highest we’ve seen so far.
A predominantly residential area in Leicester’s furthermost southern reaches, Eyres Monsell and its adjoined Saffron Hill couples the amenities of retail and educational opportunities with modern housing. It also unfortunately comes with a huge rate of crime, which sits at 151 crimes per 1000 residents.
Violent crime (862 offences) is the main concern for residents in the ward, accounting for 47.5% of all crimes in the neighbourhood. That comes in addition to soaring numbers in both criminal damage (227 offences) and antisocial behaviour (131 incidents).
Directly bordering the city centre, Fosse has undeniable popularity as both a key commuter hub for businesses in the heart of Leicester, and as a community in its own right. Sadly though, that charm is undercut by a crime rate that earns it a top 5 place in our list of the most dangerous areas of Leicester – 159.7 crimes per 1000 residents.
A major concern for residents and businesses is the high numbers we’ve seen in violent crime (900 incidents) and public order offences (232 incidents), which together make up almost half of all crime in the area. These come alongside similarly soaring rates of both criminal damage (206 incidents) and theft (186 incidents).
One of Leicester’s greener wards, large swathes of Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields are dominated by the park at its centre, which offers magnificent views for the surrounding residential and business areas. That polished exterior does, however, hide a concerning rate of crime that sits at 163.5 crimes per 1000 residents.
The major issue lies in soaring numbers of violent crimes (1322 incidents) and criminal damage & arson (409 incidents), but there’s also mounting concern for the climbing rate of public order offences (385 incidents).
A bustling residential area a stone’s throw away from the city centre, it’s easy to see the widespread appeal that New Parks holds, especially with such a good balance of green spaces in Western Park and the burgeoning retail stretches. However, undercutting that appeal is a crime rate that’s less than ideal, with 165.2 crimes per 1000 residents.
The primary concern for New Parks residents and businesses alike is the worrying numbers across violent crime (1536 offences), criminal damage (431 offences) and antisocial behaviour (260 offences), which together make up more than 64% of all crime across the region.
A major student hub for the city’s prestigious university, and home to many of Leicester’s frequented eateries and restaurants, the ward of Westcotes (alongside Bede Island) is one of the more heavily trafficked. That popularity unfortunately leads to surging crime figures, however, with the region seeing a staggering 191 crimes per 1000 residents.
Looking more closely, we find that there’s concerning figures across many different types of criminal behaviour, including violent crimes (1007 incidents), public order offences (321 incidents) and city-wide highs of theft (289 incidents) and shoplifting (206 incidents).
The beating heart of Leicester, the city centre is a beaming hub of commerce, modernity and old-world appeal, coupling the city’s clear sense of history and industry with all the trappings you’d expect of a truly 21st century metropolis.
From the vibrancy of Leicester’s nightlife, to its monuments and crumbling ruins that hark back to the city’s rich historical tapestry, it’s easy to recognise why it holds the popularity it does. However, a crime rate of 257.7 crimes per 1000 residents often dominates headlines, with an estimated 1 in 4 people experiencing crime in some capacity.
The main issues are threefold – shocking rates of violent crime (1663 incidents), public order offences (870 incidents) and shoplifting (793 incidents) all paint a grim picture of the reality of criminal behaviour in Leicester, with crime rates all slowly creeping back up to the pre-pandemic levels we saw in 2020.
