Crime in North Shields: statistics, rates and trends
2,178 crimes were recorded in North Shields in the 12 months to August 2026, 194.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in North Shields at a glance
- Crime trends in North Shields
- Types of crime in North Shields
- North Shields compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in North Shields
- What happened after crimes were reported in North Shields
- Demographics of North Shields
- Questions about crime in North Shields
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (636), anti-social behaviour (478) and shoplifting (317) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 216th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | North Shields | North Tyneside | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,178 | 19,252 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 194.2 | 89.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -12% | -1% |
| Population | 11,213 | 215,025 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in North Shields of any year here (2,178 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,178 | 194.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,354 | 209.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,621 | 233.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,333 | 208.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,317 | 206.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,728 | 243.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,621 | 233.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,090 | 275.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,014 | 268.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 232 |
| July 2026 | 225 |
| June 2026 | 167 |
| May 2026 | 232 |
| April 2026 | 185 |
| March 2026 | 151 |
| February 2026 | 115 |
| January 2026 | 67 |
| December 2025 | 181 |
| November 2025 | 197 |
| October 2025 | 203 |
| September 2025 | 223 |
Compared with England and Wales, North Shields recorded notably more shoplifting (3.3 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.8 times the national rate) and burglary (2.6 times the national rate). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 55 to 83 and burglary rose from 69 to 103, while drugs fell from 82 to 47 and other theft fell from 133 to 83.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 636 | 56.7 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 478 | 42.6 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 317 | 28.3 | 8.5 | +3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 167 | 14.9 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Public order | 142 | 12.7 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Burglary | 103 | 9.2 | 3.6 | +49% |
| Other theft | 83 | 7.4 | 6.4 | -38% |
| Vehicle crime | 83 | 7.4 | 5.0 | +51% |
| Other crime | 50 | 4.5 | 2.1 | +28% |
| Drugs | 47 | 4.2 | 3.3 | -43% |
| Robbery | 37 | 3.3 | 1.4 | +3% |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 1.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
North Shields has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs North Shields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston with Preston Grange | 856 | 76.9 | -60% |
| Chirton & Percy Main | 1,707 | 131.4 | -32% |
| Tynemouth | 934 | 88.9 | -54% |
| New York & Murton | 1,178 | 143.9 | -26% |
| Cullercoats & Whitley Bay South | 595 | 55.2 | -72% |
| Howdon | 1,449 | 100.1 | -48% |
| Monkseaton | 666 | 59.0 | -70% |
| Whitley Bay North | 1,139 | 106.9 | -45% |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in North Shields over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (237).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 237 |
| On or near Railway Terrace | 149 |
| On or near Parking Area | 71 |
| On or near Coventry Gardens | 67 |
| On or near Bedford Street | 66 |
| On or near Prudhoe Street Back | 64 |
| On or near North Shields | 52 |
| On or near Epsom Close | 45 |
| On or near Trinity Street | 43 |
| On or near Camden Street | 39 |
Of the 1,700 crimes in North Shields with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 478 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 689 | 40.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 472 | 27.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 405 | 23.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 78 | 4.6% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 15 | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 9 | 0.5% | 34.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 0.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
North Shields has an estimated population of 11,213 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (42%, against 23%), more social housing (28%, against 17%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up North Shields average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | North Shields | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 42.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 43.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is North Shields a safe place to live?
North Shields recorded 194.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 216th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in North Shields?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 636 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (478).
Is crime in North Shields going up or down?
Recorded crime in North Shields was down 7% on the year before: 2,178 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,354 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of North Shields?
About 11,213 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers North Shields?
North Shields is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.