Crime has fallen sharply across the West Midlands, with almost 6,000 fewer victims recorded compared to the previous year, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Serious youth violence involving knife crime dropped by nine per cent, home burglaries by 8.5 per cent, robberies by more than 1.6 per cent, and vehicle crime by 3.9 per cent.
Sharp Decline in Gun and Knife Offences
West Midlands Police reported that the number of guns fired in the region fell by 37 per cent, representing 40 fewer offences. Overall knife crime in the West Midlands was down 15 per cent, as confirmed by the Press Association. Across England and Wales, knife homicides reached their lowest level in 35 years, with 176 recorded in 2025/26, a 14 per cent drop from 204 the previous year and 38 per cent lower than the peak of 282 in 2017/18.
Police Attribute Drop to Faster Response and More Arrests
The force credited faster response times, increased arrests, better victim care, and thorough investigations for the reductions. West Midlands Police temporary deputy chief constable Jen Mattinson said: "We have seen a prolonged shift in the crime statistics over the last few years with continued crime reductions in the West Midlands. The hard work has been maintained by our officers and staff and we are committed to doing what the public expect us to do and what we are rightly held accountable for - arresting people, solving crimes and helping people feel safer."
Record Emergency Call Response Times
Mattinson highlighted that over the past 12 months, officers arrested more than 60,000 people, and the number of positive outcomes – including charges or cautions – rose to 16 per cent. She added: "As well as crime reducing, we continue to deliver a first-class service answering 999 emergency calls within an average of two seconds and 101 non-emergency calls in 34 seconds. Between July 2025 and June 2026, we took 749,484 999 calls, with an average time to answer of just two seconds, and sometimes as low as one second. That’s down from 57 seconds in summer of 2022. We took 1,018,185 calls to 101 in the same period, with an average time to answer of just 34 seconds."
Police and Crime Commissioner Welcomes Reductions
Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "These continued reductions in crime are welcome news for people, families, businesses and communities across the West Midlands. Fewer victims of crime, significant reductions in knife crime, gun crime and burglary, and continued improvements in police performance demonstrate the progress that is being made to keep people safe and secure."
National Context: Homicides at Century Low
The ONS noted that the drop in knife-related killings helped push the overall homicide total to "the lowest level seen this century" across England and Wales. The figures reflect a sustained downward trend in violent crime, with West Midlands Police emphasising that knife crime remains a top priority despite the improvements.
