Knife and drug crime rise in West Mercia despite overall fall

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 25 Oct, 06:02 · Archive

Knife crime, drug offences and sexual crimes increased in West Mercia between July 2025 and June 2026, though overall crime fell two percent.

Knife crime, sexual offences and drug crime all increased in West Mercia between July 2025 and June 2026, according to Office for National Statistics data, though overall crime fell by two percent across the West Mercia Police force area.

Serious offences involving a knife or sharp instrument increased by four percent. Drug offences rose by 12 percent, and recorded sexual offences were up by seven percent. The number of crashes resulting in death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving increased by nine percent. Recorded robberies rose by 46 percent, though police and crime commissioner John Campion said this is partly due to a change in how the Home Office has counted offences since April 2025, when theft and shoplifting involving threatening behaviour or violence became classified as robbery.

Mr Campion said proactive policing activity can lead to more arrests and increased recorded crime. He also noted that changes to the way data is now being recorded mean that direct comparisons with previous figures may not always be equivalent.

How it is being reported

• Knife, drug and sexual crime rise across West Mercia despite overall fallKNIFE crime, sexual offences and drug crime are all increasing in West Mercia.Malvern Gazette · 25 Oct, 05:00
• Knife, drug and sexual crime rise across West Mercia despite overall fallKNIFE crime, sexual offences and drug crime are all increasing in West Mercia.Worcester News · 25 Oct, 05:00

In this story: West Mercia · West Mercia Police · John Campion · Office for National Statistics · Home Office

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem