Crime in Great Yarmouth: statistics, rates and trends
6,778 crimes were recorded in Great Yarmouth in the 12 months to July 2026, 227.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Great Yarmouth at a glance
- Crime trends in Great Yarmouth
- Types of crime in Great Yarmouth
- Great Yarmouth compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Great Yarmouth
- Streets with the most crime in Great Yarmouth
- What happened after crimes were reported in Great Yarmouth
- Population and deprivation in Great Yarmouth
- Questions about crime in Great Yarmouth
- About this data
6,778 crimes were recorded in Great Yarmouth in the 12 months to July 2026, 227.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 4% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 2,850 reports (42% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Great Yarmouth has the 4th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Great Yarmouth | Great Yarmouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 6,778 | 11,197 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 227.9 | 111.4 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 29,737 | 100,529 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Great Yarmouth was highest in the year to July 2022 (7,922 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2024 (6,683). Over the whole period it fell 9%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 6,778 | 227.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 7,032 | 236.5 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 6,683 | 224.7 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 7,395 | 248.7 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 7,922 | 266.4 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 7,264 | 244.3 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 7,318 | 246.1 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 7,649 | 257.2 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 7,437 | 250.1 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 730 |
| June 2026 | 617 |
| May 2026 | 675 |
| April 2026 | 489 |
| March 2026 | 554 |
| February 2026 | 480 |
| January 2026 | 451 |
| December 2025 | 494 |
| November 2025 | 499 |
| October 2025 | 597 |
| September 2025 | 580 |
| August 2025 | 612 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Great Yarmouth over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in possession of weapons (+51%) and robbery (+23%). The largest falls were in bicycle theft (-43%) and vehicle crime (-16%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,850 | 95.8 | 2.80 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 943 | 31.7 | 2.07 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 648 | 21.8 | 3.21 | -3% |
| Public order | 476 | 16.0 | 2.41 | -1% |
| Other theft | 441 | 14.8 | 2.32 | -6% |
| Shoplifting | 434 | 14.6 | 1.76 | -3% |
| Drugs | 207 | 7.0 | 2.13 | -6% |
| Other crime | 163 | 5.5 | 2.60 | +0% |
| Burglary | 159 | 5.3 | 1.51 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 142 | 4.8 | 0.97 | -16% |
| Possession of weapons | 137 | 4.6 | 4.74 | +51% |
| Robbery | 69 | 2.3 | 1.72 | +23% |
| Theft from the person | 59 | 2.0 | 1.17 | -9% |
| Bicycle theft | 50 | 1.7 | 2.04 | -43% |
Violence and sexual offences in Great Yarmouth
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Great Yarmouth recorded 2,850 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (95.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 3% on the year before. It made up 42.0% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Great Yarmouth
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Great Yarmouth recorded 943 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (31.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 13.9% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Great Yarmouth
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Great Yarmouth recorded 648 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (21.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 3% on the year before. It made up 9.6% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Great Yarmouth
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Great Yarmouth recorded 476 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (16.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 7.0% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Great Yarmouth
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Great Yarmouth recorded 441 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (14.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 6.5% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Great Yarmouth
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Great Yarmouth recorded 434 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (14.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 3% on the year before. It made up 6.4% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Great Yarmouth
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Great Yarmouth recorded 207 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Great Yarmouth
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Great Yarmouth recorded 163 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 2.4% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Great Yarmouth
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Great Yarmouth recorded 159 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 2.3% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Great Yarmouth
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Great Yarmouth recorded 142 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 16% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Great Yarmouth
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Great Yarmouth recorded 137 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 51% on the year before. It made up 2.0% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Great Yarmouth
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Great Yarmouth recorded 69 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 23% on the year before. It made up 1.0% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Great Yarmouth
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Great Yarmouth recorded 59 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 9% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Great Yarmouth
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Great Yarmouth recorded 50 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 43% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Great Yarmouth, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Great Yarmouth.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Great Yarmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradwell (Great Yarmouth) | 670 | 55.0 | -76% |
| Gorleston-on-Sea | 2,126 | 89.2 | -61% |
| Caister-on-Sea | 448 | 52.1 | -77% |
| Lowestoft | 6,456 | 90.4 | -60% |
| Brundall | 240 | 44.3 | -81% |
| Beccles | 652 | 63.5 | -72% |
| Bungay | 285 | 55.0 | -76% |
| Poringland | 254 | 36.2 | -84% |
4 areas within Great Yarmouth, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Nelson had the highest rate (295.0 per 1,000) and Yarmouth North the lowest (113.5). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson | Neighbourhood | 9,496 | 2,801 | 295.0 |
| Central and Northgate | Neighbourhood | 8,655 | 2,382 | 275.2 |
| Southtown and Cobholm | Neighbourhood | 5,748 | 918 | 159.7 |
| Yarmouth North | Neighbourhood | 4,414 | 501 | 113.5 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Great Yarmouth over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 445 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 302 |
| On or near Theatre Plain | 224 |
| On or near Supermarket | 173 |
| On or near Alexandra Road | 162 |
| On or near Thamesfield Way | 117 |
| On or near Orford Close | 95 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 81 |
| On or near Nightclub | 78 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 75 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Great Yarmouth over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,643 | 39.0% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,218 | 18.0% |
| Not recorded | 943 | 13.9% |
| Under investigation | 617 | 9.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 467 | 6.9% |
| Local resolution | 275 | 4.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 248 | 3.7% |
| Status update unavailable | 116 | 1.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 87 | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 80 | 1.2% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 47 | 0.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 25 | 0.4% |
Great Yarmouth has an estimated population of 29,737. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Great Yarmouth sits in decile 1.4, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Great Yarmouth |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 63.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.6% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 38.4% |
| Social rented homes | 24.2% |
| Private rented homes | 37.1% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.4 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 73.8% |
Is Great Yarmouth a safe place to live?
Great Yarmouth recorded 227.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Great Yarmouth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,850 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (943).
Is crime in Great Yarmouth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Great Yarmouth was down 4% on the year before: 6,778 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 7,032 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Great Yarmouth?
Great Yarmouth is policed by Norfolk. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Great Yarmouth. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.