Crime in Selby: statistics, rates and trends
2,445 crimes were recorded in Selby in the 12 months to August 2026, 120.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (881), anti-social behaviour (577) and shoplifting (249) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 174th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Selby | North Yorkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,445 | 41,610 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 120.6 | 65.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 20,271 | 635,270 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Selby peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,829 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,324). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,445 | 120.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,324 | 114.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,716 | 134.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,658 | 131.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,712 | 133.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,829 | 139.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,674 | 131.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,771 | 136.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,722 | 134.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 236 |
| July 2026 | 266 |
| June 2026 | 207 |
| May 2026 | 243 |
| April 2026 | 228 |
| March 2026 | 210 |
| February 2026 | 159 |
| January 2026 | 152 |
| December 2025 | 141 |
| November 2025 | 202 |
| October 2025 | 199 |
| September 2025 | 202 |
Compared with England and Wales, Selby recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.3 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (85% above the national rate) and possession of weapons (78% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (57% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 182 to 249 and drugs rose from 47 to 64, while vehicle crime fell from 52 to 43 and anti-social behaviour fell from 687 to 577.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 881 | 43.5 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 577 | 28.5 | 15.4 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 249 | 12.3 | 8.5 | +37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 164 | 8.1 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Public order | 138 | 6.8 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Other theft | 114 | 5.6 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Drugs | 64 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +36% |
| Burglary | 59 | 2.9 | 3.6 | +28% |
| Other crime | 49 | 2.4 | 2.1 | +22% |
| Vehicle crime | 43 | 2.1 | 5.0 | -17% |
| Bicycle theft | 39 | 1.9 | 0.8 | +18% |
| Possession of weapons | 35 | 1.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 29 | 1.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Selby; the highest is Knottingley (161.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Tadcaster (54.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Selby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherburn in Elmet | 515 | 55.7 | -54% |
| Howden | 436 | 70.4 | -42% |
| Knottingley | 1,456 | 161.8 | +34% |
| Goole | 2,291 | 109.4 | -9% |
| Tadcaster | 411 | 54.7 | -55% |
| Pontefract | 4,107 | 120.2 | 0% |
| Castleford | 6,882 | 147.6 | +22% |
| Askern | 802 | 137.7 | +14% |
Of the 2 areas within Selby, Selby East had the highest crime rate (167.0 per 1,000) and Selby West the lowest (96.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selby East | Neighbourhood | 8,208 | 1,371 | 167.0 |
| Selby West | Neighbourhood | 10,856 | 1,045 | 96.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Selby over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (138).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 138 |
| On or near Bawtry Road | 133 |
| On or near Church Lane | 81 |
| On or near Parking Area | 73 |
| On or near Micklegate | 72 |
| On or near Finkle Street | 67 |
| On or near Supermarket | 61 |
| On or near | 52 |
| On or near Market Lane | 49 |
| On or near Richard Street | 39 |
Of the 1,868 crimes in Selby with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 577 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 764 | 40.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 397 | 21.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 285 | 15.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 147 | 7.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 89 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 58 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 45 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 40 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Selby has an estimated population of 20,271 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Selby average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Selby | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 6.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Selby a safe place to live?
Selby recorded 120.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 174th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Selby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 881 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (577).
Is crime in Selby going up or down?
Recorded crime in Selby was up 5% on the year before: 2,445 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,324 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Selby?
About 20,271 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Selby?
Selby is policed by North Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.