Yahoo News The gun and knife crime hotspots where Birmingham communities say 'it's not safe'
The Birmingham areas with the highest number of armed criminals can now be revealed, according to latest police stats. Dozens of people are caught carrying weapons every day across the city, with concerned residents reporting the crimes to West Midlands Police.
Birmingham city centre, the area with the highest footfall, saw almost triple the number of the other worst places for weapon possession. Police recorded a staggering 307 offences across the heart of the city in a 12 month period, equalling around 26 people reported per month.
Aston, one of the highest crime areas in the city, had the second most for the offences - which are defined by police as "possession of a weapon, such as a firearm or knife." Just last month in the area a 21-year-old man was stabbed and a gun was fired during an armed incident.
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The area with the third highest was Lozells and East Handsworth, which recently saw an urgent meeting called amid a spate of gun and knife violence on its streets. Community activist Bishop Desmond Jaddoo fears innocent people may soon be caught up in the crossfire in Lozells as the violence continues to escalate.
New stats revealed that 116 people were reported to the police for carrying weapons in the neighbourhood over the past year. Washwood Heath and Stockland Green also had a similar number of crimes. See the full list for Oct 2023 to Sep 2024), as analysed by BirminghamLive, below.
Acocks Green: 75
Aston: 136
Bartley Green: 62
Billesley: 60
Bordesley Green: 72
Bournville: 63
Chelmsley Wood: 44
City Centre: 307
Edgbaston: 72
Erdington: 47
Hall Green: 32
Handsworth Wood: 80
Harborne: 61
Hodge Hill: 93
Jewellery Quarter: 43
Kings Norton; 60
Kingstanding: 84
Ladywood: 63
Longbridge: 77
Lozells and East Handsworth: 116
Moseley and Kings Heath: 50
Nechells: 51
Northfield: 71
Perry Barr: 67
Quinton: 49
Selly Oak: 56
Shard End: 95
Sheldon: 58
Small Heath and Highgate: 93
Smith's Wood: 73
Soho Road: 67
South Yardley: 99
Sparkbrook: 90
Springfield: 55
Stechford and Yardley North: 78
Stockland Green: 106
Tyburn: 63
Washwood Heath: 101
Weoley: 39
Winson Green: 62
According to West Midlands Police, safety in the region is "continuing to improve", with crime reducing, arrests increasing and victims "receiving better and faster police support." The force said there had been significant reductions in crimes, including robbery, burglary, vehicle Crime, theft from the person, and violent crime, including domestic abuse.
Total crime reported across the West Midlands had been reduced by ten per cent between July 2023 and June 2024, compared to the same period last year, the force said. It added: "We’ve also seen considerable decreases in serious youth violence of nine per cent, including a reduction in knife crime.
"Domestic abuse reports have fallen by more than 14 per cent. The number of homicide offences has dropped by seven per cent while robbery is down more than five per cent. There has been a reduction of more than 13 per cent in vehicle crimes reported and an almost 12 per cent drop in burglaries, while theft from the person has seen a huge 28 per cent decrease."
Do you live in one of the hotspot areas? Have you been affected by crime? We would like to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing stephanie.balloo@reachplc.com
