Crime in Shirley: statistics, rates and trends
1,766 crimes were recorded in Shirley in the 12 months to August 2026, 116.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (747), anti-social behaviour (183) and public order (168) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 875th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Shirley | Southampton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,766 | 34,688 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 116.7 | 133.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 15,128 | 259,424 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Shirley of any year here (1,766 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,766 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,818 | 120.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,878 | 124.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,143 | 141.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,397 | 158.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,173 | 143.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,139 | 141.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,140 | 141.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,184 | 144.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 174 |
| July 2026 | 175 |
| June 2026 | 141 |
| May 2026 | 135 |
| April 2026 | 159 |
| March 2026 | 160 |
| February 2026 | 134 |
| January 2026 | 119 |
| December 2025 | 127 |
| November 2025 | 143 |
| October 2025 | 140 |
| September 2025 | 159 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shirley recorded notably more bicycle theft (84% above the national rate), possession of weapons (84% above the national rate) and public order (67% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (56% below) and anti-social behaviour (21% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 53 to 81 and criminal damage and arson rose from 114 to 155, while shoplifting fell from 126 to 56 and other crime fell from 35 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 747 | 49.4 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 183 | 12.1 | 15.4 | +1% |
| Public order | 168 | 11.1 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 155 | 10.2 | 6.7 | +36% |
| Other theft | 118 | 7.8 | 6.4 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 88 | 5.8 | 5.0 | +26% |
| Burglary | 81 | 5.4 | 3.6 | +53% |
| Shoplifting | 56 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -56% |
| Drugs | 50 | 3.3 | 3.3 | +32% |
| Robbery | 31 | 2.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0% |
| Other crime | 26 | 1.7 | 2.1 | -26% |
| Bicycle theft | 23 | 1.5 | 0.8 | -18% |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Shirley; the highest is Banister & Polygon (278.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Bassett (63.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millbrook | 1,867 | 129.8 | +11% |
| Freemantle | 1,675 | 138.5 | +19% |
| Coxford | 1,235 | 88.4 | -24% |
| Banister & Polygon | 5,395 | 278.8 | +139% |
| Redbridge | 2,053 | 142.5 | +22% |
| Bassett | 977 | 63.4 | -46% |
| Portswood | 1,748 | 122.7 | +5% |
| Bevois | 2,918 | 162.3 | +39% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Shirley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (307).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 307 |
| On or near Parking Area | 84 |
| On or near Church Street | 74 |
| On or near Birch Close | 68 |
| On or near Regent'S Grove | 54 |
| On or near St James'S Close | 48 |
| On or near Crown Street | 44 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 43 |
| On or near Supermarket | 35 |
| On or near Chestnut Road | 33 |
Of the 1,583 crimes in Shirley with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 183 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 576 | 36.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 576 | 36.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 164 | 10.4% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 70 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 67 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 54 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
Shirley has an estimated population of 15,128 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (26%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shirley average decile 5.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Shirley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 11.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Shirley a safe place to live?
Shirley recorded 116.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 875th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Shirley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 747 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (183).
Is crime in Shirley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shirley was down 3% on the year before: 1,766 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,818 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shirley?
About 15,128 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shirley?
Shirley is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.