West Midlands force has highest knife crime rate

In the West Midlands force area, figures show there were 180 knife offences in 2023, compared to 165 in London's Met Police area

The West Midlands Police area has the highest rate of knife crime offences in England and Wales, latest national figures show.

Offences involving a blade per 100,000 of the population, in the force area in 2023, totalled 180, up from 167 in 2022. The London Metropolitan Police force total was 165.

Overall however, across all West Midlands regional forces, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show crime has fallen by 5%.

West Midlands Police (WMP), which was placed into special measures in November, said it had been working hard to improve the force.

High profile cases involving knives in the force area include the murder of Cody Fisher on a Birmingham nightclub dancefloor, in December 2022

It has seen a 6.8% drop in crime overall with reductions in violent crime, burglaries and possession of offensive weapons, the ONS figures show.

Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green said the fall was more than for any other force.

“We have been working very hard over the past 12 months to improve the force and since changing our operating model in April last year we have made substantial and sustained improvements in some important areas," he said.

Machetes and zombie knives

There have been 5,324 knife crime offences dealt with by the force in 2023, according to the ONS data, released for the period between December 2022 and the end of December 2023.

High-profile cases during that time include, the fatal stabbing of footballer Cody Fisher, who was murdered inside a Birmingham nightclub in December 2022. Two men were jailed earlier this year.

A taskforce to tackle knife crime has been operating in Coventry since January

Seven youths were convicted of murder last month, after 21-year-old Bailey Atkinson was stabbed to death in a savage attack in Walsall in January 2023, involving machetes and so-called zombie knives.

An armed gang killed Birmingham father Kelvin Ward with a machete after ramming his son's car at a KFC restaurant in April 2023, which saw three men being jailed earlier this month.

Kelvin Ward was attacked and killed with a machete in April last year

West Midlands anti-knife crime mentor Malachi Nunes said: "Knife crime is higher in the West Midlands because young people here follow the trend of what’s happening in the capital. London has a big influence on cities like Birmingham.

"More young people are carrying knives now because their school friends are being stabbed and they don’t feel safe, even at school.

"[In] 2024, I’ve seen an increase in referrals from the police for children as young as nine years old, who have brought a knife into school or showcased a knife via video and sent it to WhatsApp groups."

A new taskforce tackling knife crime has been operating in Coventry, under which 25 arrests have been made and 20 weapons seized, since being set up by the Home Office in January.

Shoplifting trend rising

Knife crime rates in Staffordshire and Warwickshire per 100,000 of the population have fallen with a slight rise in the West Mercia force area.

Although total recorded crime dropped in all regional force areas, all saw significant rises in shoplifting offences which follows a national trend of the highest level in 20 years.

Theft and drug offences rose by 7% and 9% for West Mercia Police, but there has been a 20% drop in stalking and harassment offences.

In Warwickshire, there has been an 8% increase in robberies and a 10% fall in criminal damage and arson.

Staffordshire Police has seen a 10% rise in burglaries and 17% drop in drug offences.

A 5% fall in sexual offences followed heavy investment in its public protection unit, the force said, and the drug offence decrease in was attributed to a "swathe" of operations to tackle cannabis farms and breaking up county lines networks.

The drop in knife crime rates was welcomed by Deputy Chief Constable Jon Roy, who said more "stop and search" incidents were being carried out.

Warwickshire and West Mercia forces have been contacted by the BBC for a comment.