Shocking new figures have revealed that TikTok has been referenced in more than 1,000 recorded crimes across the West Mercia Police force area over the past three years.
Data obtained from West Mercia Police shows that the keywords “TikTok” or “Tik Tok” appeared in the Modus Operandi (MO) field or investigation summaries of 1,013 crimes recorded between 2023 and 2025.
The figures do not necessarily mean the social media platform was directly responsible for the offences, but indicate that TikTok was considered relevant enough to be referenced during police investigations.
Cases More Than Doubled Since 2023
The number of recorded crimes mentioning TikTok has risen dramatically year-on-year.
- 2023: 259 crimes
- 2024: 294 crimes
- 2025: 460 crimes
The 2025 figure represents a 78 per cent increase compared with 2023, highlighting the growing role social media is playing in criminal investigations.
North Worcestershire Records Highest Number
North Worcestershire recorded the highest overall total, with 243 crimes linked to TikTok references between 2023 and 2025.
The breakdown by policing area was:
- North Worcestershire – 243
- South Worcestershire – 233
- Telford & Wrekin – 203
- Shropshire – 179
- Herefordshire – 136
- No location recorded – 19
Violence Dominates Crime Categories
By far the most common offence type connected to TikTok references was Violence Against the Person, accounting for 743 crimes across the force area.
Other notable offence categories included:
- Sexual offences – 85
- Theft – 82
- Miscellaneous crimes against society – 56
- Public order offences – 28
- Arson and criminal damage – 12
- Burglary – 3
- Vehicle offences – 3
- Drug offences – 1
- Possession of weapons – 1
In several policing areas, violence offences accounted for more than two-thirds of all incidents where TikTok was mentioned.
Young People Most Frequently Linked as Victims
The data also shows younger people were significantly more likely to be victims in cases where TikTok appeared in police records.
Of the 942 victims whose ages were recorded:
- 342 were aged 17 and under
- 174 were aged 18 to 24
- 198 were aged 25 to 34
- 144 were aged 35 to 44
- 56 were aged 45 to 54
- 20 were aged 55 to 64
- 7 were aged 65 to 74
- 1 was aged 75 or over
Children and teenagers accounted for more than a third of all victims linked to incidents where TikTok was mentioned.
What Do The Figures Mean?
The figures simply record occasions where “TikTok” or “Tik Tok” appeared within police crime records and investigation summaries. They do not indicate that the platform caused or facilitated the offences, nor do they distinguish between crimes committed through social media, incidents captured on TikTok, or cases where the platform was mentioned as part of wider investigations.
However, the data demonstrates the increasingly prominent role social media platforms play in modern policing, particularly in investigations involving violence, safeguarding concerns and offences affecting younger people.
With TikTok references reaching a record high in 2025, the figures provide a snapshot of how online platforms are becoming an ever more common feature in police investigations across the West Mercia region.
Source: https://www.westmercia.police.uk/foi-ai/west-mercia-police/2026/may/foi-4873/
