Crime in Skelmanthorpe: statistics, rates and trends
280 crimes were recorded in Skelmanthorpe in the 12 months to July 2026, 51.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Skelmanthorpe at a glance
- Crime trends in Skelmanthorpe
- Types of crime in Skelmanthorpe
- Skelmanthorpe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Skelmanthorpe
- Streets with the most crime in Skelmanthorpe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Skelmanthorpe
- Population and deprivation in Skelmanthorpe
- Questions about crime in Skelmanthorpe
- About this data
280 crimes were recorded in Skelmanthorpe in the 12 months to July 2026, 51.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 5% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 128 reports (46% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Skelmanthorpe has the 1,136th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Skelmanthorpe | Kirklees | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 280 | 44,097 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 51.2 | 98.5 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 5,468 | 447,847 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Skelmanthorpe was highest in the year to July 2023 (330 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (234). Over the whole period it rose 20%, 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 | 280 | 51.2 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 294 | 53.8 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 317 | 58.0 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 330 | 60.4 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 265 | 48.5 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 264 | 48.3 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 288 | 52.7 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 260 | 47.5 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 234 | 42.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 22 |
| June 2026 | 17 |
| May 2026 | 20 |
| April 2026 | 15 |
| March 2026 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 13 |
| November 2025 | 22 |
| October 2025 | 42 |
| September 2025 | 25 |
| August 2025 | 37 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Skelmanthorpe 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 other crime.
The largest increases were in public order (+44%) and anti-social behaviour (+14%). The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-50%) and criminal damage and arson (-48%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 128 | 23.4 | 0.68 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 40 | 7.3 | 0.48 | +14% |
| Public order | 39 | 7.1 | 1.07 | +44% |
| Burglary | 21 | 3.8 | 1.09 | -16% |
| Other crime | 15 | 2.7 | 1.30 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 13 | 2.4 | 0.35 | -48% |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.8 | 0.37 | -50% |
| Other theft | 9 | 1.6 | 0.26 | +12% |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.4 | 0.11 | -80% |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 0.38 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 0.02 | -80% |
Violence and sexual offences in Skelmanthorpe
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Skelmanthorpe recorded 128 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (23.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 45.7% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Skelmanthorpe
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Skelmanthorpe recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 14.3% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Skelmanthorpe
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Skelmanthorpe recorded 39 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 44% on the year before. It made up 13.9% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Skelmanthorpe
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Skelmanthorpe recorded 21 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 16% on the year before. It made up 7.5% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Skelmanthorpe
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Skelmanthorpe recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 29% on the year before. It made up 5.4% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Skelmanthorpe
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Skelmanthorpe recorded 13 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 48% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Skelmanthorpe
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Skelmanthorpe recorded 10 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 3.6% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Skelmanthorpe
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Skelmanthorpe recorded 9 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 12% on the year before. It made up 3.2% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Skelmanthorpe
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Skelmanthorpe recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 80% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Skelmanthorpe
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Skelmanthorpe recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Skelmanthorpe
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Skelmanthorpe recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 80% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Skelmanthorpe, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Skelmanthorpe.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Skelmanthorpe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton West and Scissett | 330 | 65.1 | +27% |
| Lepton | 389 | 77.3 | +51% |
| Penistone | 436 | 48.3 | -6% |
| Honley | 681 | 48.0 | -6% |
| Darton | 1,013 | 60.7 | +18% |
| Barugh Green and Redbrook | 460 | 67.6 | +32% |
| Horbury | 762 | 82.2 | +61% |
| Dodworth | 428 | 71.5 | +40% |
1 areas within Skelmanthorpe, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Denby Dale had the highest rate (49.8 per 1,000) and Denby Dale the lowest (49.8). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denby Dale | Neighbourhood | 17,106 | 852 | 49.8 |
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 Skelmanthorpe over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Langley Lane | 16 |
| On or near Huddersfield Road | 14 |
| On or near Laburnum Grove | 14 |
| On or near Parking Area | 13 |
| On or near Poplar Rise | 12 |
| On or near Round Hill Close | 12 |
| On or near Heritage Court | 10 |
| On or near Lodge Street | 10 |
| On or near Pickles Lane | 10 |
| On or near Windmill Crescent | 9 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Skelmanthorpe 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 | 108 | 38.6% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 71 | 25.4% |
| Not recorded | 40 | 14.3% |
| Under investigation | 29 | 10.4% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 2.9% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 2.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 1.8% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 1.8% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% |
Skelmanthorpe has an estimated population of 5,468. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Skelmanthorpe sits in decile 7.3, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Skelmanthorpe |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 59.1% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.2% |
| Social rented homes | 8.2% |
| Private rented homes | 14.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 |
Is Skelmanthorpe a safe place to live?
Skelmanthorpe recorded 51.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower 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 Skelmanthorpe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 128 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (40).
Is crime in Skelmanthorpe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Skelmanthorpe was down 5% on the year before: 280 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 294 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Skelmanthorpe?
Skelmanthorpe is policed by West Yorkshire. 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 Skelmanthorpe. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.