Crime in Shirley North: statistics, rates and trends
1,187 crimes were recorded in Shirley North in the 12 months to August 2026, 80.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shirley North at a glance
- Crime trends in Shirley North
- Types of crime in Shirley North
- Shirley North compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Shirley North
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shirley North
- Demographics of Shirley North
- Questions about crime in Shirley North
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (317), shoplifting (269) and anti-social behaviour (211) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,838th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Shirley North | Croydon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,187 | 42,232 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 80.2 | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 14,805 | 409,342 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Shirley North of any year here (1,187 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,187 | 80.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,087 | 73.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,143 | 77.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 936 | 63.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 976 | 65.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 947 | 64.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 960 | 64.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 935 | 63.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 932 | 63.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 100 |
| July 2026 | 126 |
| June 2026 | 112 |
| May 2026 | 115 |
| April 2026 | 127 |
| March 2026 | 95 |
| February 2026 | 89 |
| January 2026 | 90 |
| December 2025 | 61 |
| November 2025 | 84 |
| October 2025 | 97 |
| September 2025 | 91 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shirley North recorded notably more shoplifting (2.1 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (40% above the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (60% below) and public order (54% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 190 to 269 and burglary rose from 38 to 52, while criminal damage and arson fell from 70 to 40 and drugs fell from 41 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 317 | 21.4 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Shoplifting | 269 | 18.2 | 8.5 | +42% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 211 | 14.3 | 15.4 | +4% |
| Vehicle crime | 103 | 7.0 | 5.0 | -6% |
| Other theft | 69 | 4.7 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Burglary | 52 | 3.5 | 3.6 | +37% |
| Public order | 45 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 40 | 2.7 | 6.7 | -43% |
| Drugs | 32 | 2.2 | 3.3 | -22% |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 8 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Shirley North; the highest is Fairfield, Croydon (314.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Shirley South, Croydon (62.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shirley North |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addiscombe East | 1,109 | 92.5 | +15% |
| Shirley South | 603 | 62.9 | -22% |
| Woodside | 1,559 | 90.0 | +12% |
| Addiscombe West | 1,600 | 92.9 | +16% |
| South Norwood | 1,985 | 105.6 | +32% |
| Park Hill & Whitgift | 1,222 | 138.6 | +73% |
| Selhurst | 1,676 | 139.8 | +74% |
| Fairfield | 5,539 | 314.2 | +292% |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Shirley North over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (182).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 182 |
| On or near Supermarket | 122 |
| On or near Longheath Gardens | 67 |
| On or near Woodside Way | 41 |
| On or near Milford Gardens | 40 |
| On or near Ritchie Road | 32 |
| On or near Shoreham Close | 28 |
| On or near Knole Close | 25 |
| On or near The Rosery | 25 |
| On or near Ardingly Close | 21 |
Of the 976 crimes in Shirley North with a recorded outcome, 48% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 211 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 471 | 48.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 254 | 26.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 115 | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 56 | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 39 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Shirley North has an estimated population of 14,805 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (10%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shirley North average decile 6.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Shirley North | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shirley North a safe place to live?
Shirley North recorded 80.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,838th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Shirley North?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 317 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (269).
Is crime in Shirley North going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shirley North was up 9% on the year before: 1,187 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,087 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shirley North?
About 14,805 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shirley North?
Shirley North is policed by Metropolitan Police.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.