Crime in St Helens, Barnsley: statistics, rates and trends
1,808 crimes were recorded in St Helens, Barnsley in the 12 months to August 2026, 154.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Helens, Barnsley at a glance
- Crime trends in St Helens, Barnsley
- Types of crime in St Helens, Barnsley
- St Helens, Barnsley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Helens, Barnsley
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Helens, Barnsley
- Demographics of St Helens, Barnsley
- Questions about crime in St Helens, Barnsley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (628), shoplifting (261) and anti-social behaviour (238) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 396th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | St Helens, Barnsley | Barnsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,808 | 27,081 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 154.4 | 107.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,710 | 251,770 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Helens, Barnsley peaked in the year to August 2025 (1,814 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,076). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,808 | 154.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,814 | 154.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,532 | 130.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,301 | 111.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,334 | 113.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,076 | 91.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,152 | 98.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,198 | 102.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,610 | 137.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 130 |
| July 2026 | 171 |
| June 2026 | 160 |
| May 2026 | 186 |
| April 2026 | 154 |
| March 2026 | 172 |
| February 2026 | 130 |
| January 2026 | 111 |
| December 2025 | 160 |
| November 2025 | 139 |
| October 2025 | 142 |
| September 2025 | 153 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Helens, Barnsley recorded notably more shoplifting (2.6 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (2.5 times the national rate) and other crime (2.3 times the national rate). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 64 to 79 and anti-social behaviour rose from 201 to 238, while other crime fell from 86 to 58 and other theft fell from 82 to 65.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 628 | 53.6 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Shoplifting | 261 | 22.3 | 8.5 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 238 | 20.3 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 196 | 16.7 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Public order | 159 | 13.6 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 79 | 6.7 | 5.0 | +23% |
| Other theft | 65 | 5.6 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Other crime | 58 | 5.0 | 2.1 | -33% |
| Burglary | 53 | 4.5 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Drugs | 35 | 3.0 | 3.3 | -20% |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 1.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than St Helens, Barnsley; the highest is Kingstone (276.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Darton East (54.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Helens, Barnsley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town | 1,390 | 118.8 | -23% |
| Monk Bretton | 1,503 | 120.3 | -22% |
| Darton East | 630 | 54.0 | -65% |
| Royston | 1,120 | 95.2 | -38% |
| Central | 1,984 | 165.6 | +7% |
| Darton West | 785 | 75.3 | -51% |
| Kingstone | 2,970 | 276.1 | +79% |
| Cudworth | 1,088 | 91.2 | -41% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in St Helens, Barnsley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (343).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 343 |
| On or near Blakeley Close | 66 |
| On or near Kirkby Avenue | 65 |
| On or near Mansfield Road | 52 |
| On or near Aldbury Close | 44 |
| On or near Laithes Lane | 35 |
| On or near B6131 | 33 |
| On or near The Gateway | 31 |
| On or near Kirkstall Road | 30 |
| On or near Burn Place | 29 |
Of the 1,570 crimes in St Helens, Barnsley with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 13% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 238 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 660 | 42.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 392 | 25.0% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 199 | 12.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 104 | 6.6% | 2.5% |
| Under investigation | 96 | 6.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 12 | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
St Helens, Barnsley has an estimated population of 11,710 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (42%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (32%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (16%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Helens, Barnsley average decile 1.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Helens, Barnsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 15.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 31.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 41.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 56.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is St Helens, Barnsley a safe place to live?
St Helens, Barnsley recorded 154.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 396th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in St Helens, Barnsley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 628 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (261).
Is crime in St Helens, Barnsley going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Helens, Barnsley was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,808 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,814 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Helens, Barnsley?
About 11,710 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Helens, Barnsley?
St Helens, Barnsley is policed by South Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.