FOI 434067
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 434067
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 26th September 2025. Please find below the response to your request:
Q1. The total number of crimes reported to your police service that were committed
on, or in connection with, the online gaming platform Roblox from 2008 to the present date.
Q2. A breakdown of the types of crimes reported (e.g., harassment, fraud, sexual offences, grooming, etc.) in relation to Roblox.
Q3. The number of these cases that have resulted in a prosecution.
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REQUEST 2:
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Q1. The total number of crimes reported to your police service that were committed
on, or in connection with, the online platform Discord from 1 January 2015 to the present date.
Q2. A breakdown of the types of crimes reported (e.g., harassment, fraud, sexual offences, grooming, Terrorism, coordinated self harm etc.) in relation to Discord.
Q3. The number of these cases that have resulted in a prosecution.
Reply
Searches have been completed, and West Mercia Police hold some of the information requested. To ensure the Force remains compliant with GDPR and MoPI (Management of Police Information) regulations, certain MoPI 3 level data is automatically deleted from Force systems after a period of 6 years. As a result, the data within this FOI is only available from 2019.
Caveat: As a key word search of the incident summary field has been used, if the word ‘Roblox’ or ‘Discord’ had not been specifically written in the free-text incident summary field, then the incident will not be included in the results. Manual checks have been completed to exclude any false positives. Excluded are records where the offence was not facilitated by the online platforms ie, theft of an iPad from a vehicle where the iPad had been only used by the victim to check on her child’s Roblox account; suspect asking victim to play Roblox. Included are those offences where the suspect and victim have met through the online game; physical assaults that have occurred as a direct result of playing the game/messages on the platforms; and where money has been stolen to fund games on the platform.
Q1. The total number of crimes reported to your police service that were committed
on, or in connection with, the online gaming platform Roblox from 2008 to the present date.
|
Calendar Year |
Number of offences |
||||||
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 (Jan-Aug) |
|
|
3 |
9 |
5 |
8 |
13 |
11 |
11 |
60 |
Q2. A breakdown of the types of crimes reported (e.g., harassment, fraud, sexual offences, grooming, etc.) in relation to Roblox.
|
Home Office Primary Offence Sub Group (offences involving Roblox) |
Number of offences |
||
|
ASSAULT WITH INJURY |
1 |
||
|
HARASSMENT |
5 |
||
|
MALICIOUS COMMUNICATIONS |
7 |
||
|
MODERN SLAVERY |
1 |
||
|
OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS ETC |
10 |
||
|
SEXUAL ACTIVITY CHILD UNDER 13 |
14 |
||
|
SEXUAL ACTIVITY CHILD UNDER 16 |
9 |
||
|
SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A F 13 OR OVER |
1 |
||
|
SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A F CHILD UNDER 13 |
1 |
||
|
SEXUAL GROOMING |
8 |
||
|
STALKING |
1 |
||
|
THEFT IN A DWELLING OTHER THAN FROM AUTO MACHINE OR METER |
2 |
||
|
Grand Total |
60 |
Q3. The number of these cases that have resulted in a prosecution.
|
Police Outcomes (offences involving Roblox) |
Number of offences |
||
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
1 |
||
|
Type 11 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Is Below The Age Of Criminal Responsibility |
1 |
||
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
10 |
||
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
4 |
||
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
7 |
||
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
27 |
||
|
Type 21 - Further investigation resulting from crime report which could provide evidence sufficient to support formal action against the suspect is not in the public interest - police decision. |
3 |
||
|
Pending/under investigation |
7 |
||
|
Grand Total |
60 |
REQUEST 2:
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Q1. The total number of crimes reported to your police service that were committed
on, or in connection with, the online platform Discord from 1 January 2015 to the present date.
|
Calendar Year |
Number of offences |
||||||
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 (Jan-Aug) |
|
|
10 |
18 |
38 |
45 |
55 |
42 |
35 |
243 |
Q2. A breakdown of the types of crimes reported (e.g., harassment, fraud, sexual offences, grooming, Terrorism, coordinated self harm etc.) in relation to Discord.
|
Home Office Primary Offence Sub Group (offences involving Discord) |
Number of offences |
||
|
ABUSE OF CHILDREN THROUGH SEXUAL EXPLOITATION |
1 |
||
|
ASSAULT WITHOUT INJURY |
2 |
||
|
BLACKMAIL |
30 |
||
|
HARASSMENT |
22 |
||
|
MAKE OR SUPPLY ARTICLES FRAUD |
1 |
||
|
MALICIOUS COMMUNICATIONS |
41 |
||
|
MODERN SLAVERY |
3 |
||
|
OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS ETC |
43 |
||
|
OTHER MISC SEXUAL OFFENCES |
4 |
||
|
PUBLIC FEAR ALARM OR DISTRESS |
1 |
||
|
RACE OR RELIGIOUSLY AGG HARASSMENT |
3 |
||
|
SEXUAL ACTIVITY CHILD UNDER 13 |
24 |
||
|
SEXUAL ACTIVITY CHILD UNDER 16 |
38 |
||
|
SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A F 13 OR OVER |
2 |
||
|
SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A M 13 AND OVER |
1 |
||
|
SEXUAL GROOMING |
16 |
||
|
STALKING |
9 |
||
|
STATE OR PUBLIC ORDER |
2 |
||
|
Grand Total |
243 |
Q3. The number of these cases that have resulted in a prosecution.
|
Police Outcomes (offences involving Discord) |
Number of offences |
||
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
3 |
||
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
1 |
||
|
Type 3 - Caution Adult |
1 |
||
|
Type 10 - Formal Action Against Offender is not in the Public Interest (Police) |
1 |
||
|
Type 12 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Is Too Ill (Physical Or Mental Health) To Prosecute, or confirmed died either before crime reported or before enough evidence to charge |
1 |
||
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
46 |
||
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
35 |
||
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
21 |
||
|
Type 17 - Prosecution Time Limit Expired: Suspect Identified But Prosecution Time Limit Has Expired |
1 |
||
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
101 |
||
|
Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency subject to the victim (or person acting on their behalf) being made aware of the act to be taken |
3 |
||
|
Type 21 - Further investigation resulting from crime report which could provide evidence sufficient to support formal action against the suspect is not in the public interest - police decision. |
11 |
||
|
Type 22 - Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, resulting from the crime report, has been undertaken and it is not in the public interest to take any further action. |
4 |
||
|
Pending/under investigation |
14 |
||
|
Grand Total |
243 |