St Matthew's, Walsall: Safety
Safety
Crime in St Matthew's is falling, though it's still higher than the UK average. The trend is moving in the right direction.
In 2024, the neighbourhood recorded 306 crimes per 1,000 people — well above the UK average of 92. By 2025 that had dropped to 276 per 1,000, and 2026 data so far shows the fall continuing. Anti-social behaviour has dropped particularly sharply, from 573 incidents in 2024 to 79 so far in 2026.
The direction is clear and consistent. Every neighbouring area has also seen crime fall over the same period, which suggests broader improvements across the wider area rather than just a local shift.
Source: police-recorded crime for St Matthew's ward (West Midlands Police, data.police.uk), Jan 2024–Aug 2026; residents from Census 2021. This summary may predate the latest data release; the table below has the current figures.
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Crime rate comparison
Crimes per 1,000 residents, Jan–Dec 2025. St Matthew's ward: West Midlands Police data via data.police.uk; residents from Census 2021. Averages are for all wards in the area over the same months. Planna's safety index uses the latest 12 months instead, so it can differ.
2024
2025
Jan–Aug 2026
St Matthew's ward
Crimes/1,000 residents
278.5
Higher than
UK average (England, Wales & N. Ireland)
98.8
Higher than
West Midlands region average
96.8
Neighbouring wards
Higher than
Aldridge Central and South
69.4
Higher than
Birchills Leamore
138.4
Higher than
Blakenall
112.7
Higher than
Pheasey Park Farm
39.5
Higher than
Paddock
45.1
Higher than
Pleck
125.4
Higher than
Rushall-Shelfield
75
Higher than
Palfrey
76.1
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Types of Crime
Share of police-recorded crimes in St Matthew's ward and the West Midlands region average, Jan–Dec 2025.
This ward
Regional average
- Violent offences32%40%
- Shoplifting19%9%
- Anti-social behaviour7%11%
- Other theft6%6%
- Vehicle crime6%7%
- Public order6%6%
- Criminal damage and arson6%7%
- Drugs5%3%
- Burglary4%4%
- Possession of weapons3%2%
- Robbery2%2%
- Other crime2%2%
- Theft from the person1%1%
- Bicycle theft1%1%
