Maps show crime hotspots in England and Wales’ for heinous murders, sex attacks & thefts – do you live in a danger zone?
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THE frenzied murder of a vulnerable mum and a brutal attack on police officers by a gang of thugs were just some of the offences in the "crime capital of England" this year. The Sun has compiled and analysed the latest data and created a series of maps pinpointing where each area ranks.
![[Police Officers from Cleveland force]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2020-middlesbrough-united-kingdom-following-958363914.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Cleveland once again has the highest level of crimes recorded per 1,000 population making it the most dangerous place to live. The numbers are calculated to show the level of crime proportionate to the amount of people who live there. Cleveland Police in the north east recorded 129.3 crimes per 1,000 people, according to the latest ONS figures up to June 2024.
![[Cleveland Police recorded the highest number of crimes per 1,000 population of any force in England and Wales]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/03f4d658-a725-443a-9211-8d4145666efb-1.jpg?strip=all&w=648)
That compares to 105.8 recorded by the Metropolitan Police. Eight of the top 10 force areas with the worst crime rates - which includes England and Wales - are in the North of England. The Met and West Midlands (109.4) are the only exceptions. Cleveland - which covers areas including Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, and Stockton-on-Tees - is also top for sex crimes and second to West Yorkshire for violence, second to Merseyside for drug offences and second to the Met for thefts.
![[Glenna Siviter was murdered at her home in Middlesbrough]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/died-wanted-come-back-home-958350114.jpg?strip=all&w=287)
The police force area with the lowest recorded crime was Wiltshire (53.9). A Cleveland Police spokesperson told The Sun: “Cleveland Police faces significant challenges with high levels of crime and demand for policing services resembling that experienced by much larger metropolitan forces.
![[A police officer was forced to retire after being attacked by a gang of thugs]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/b7eea9ee-c1c3-40dd-9337-054ea922c5f3.jpg?strip=all&w=510)
