Crime in South Kirkby: statistics, rates and trends
1,156 crimes were recorded in South Kirkby in the 12 months to August 2026, 127.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Kirkby at a glance
- Crime trends in South Kirkby
- Types of crime in South Kirkby
- South Kirkby compared with nearby towns
- Streets with the most crime in South Kirkby
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Kirkby
- Demographics of South Kirkby
- Questions about crime in South Kirkby
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (471), anti-social behaviour (118) and shoplifting (118) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 135th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | South Kirkby | Wakefield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,156 | 42,896 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 127.8 | 116.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 9,047 | 367,666 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in South Kirkby of any year here (1,156 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,156 | 127.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,228 | 135.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,305 | 144.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,510 | 166.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,395 | 154.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,175 | 129.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,221 | 135.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,251 | 138.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,236 | 136.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 103 |
| July 2026 | 98 |
| June 2026 | 101 |
| May 2026 | 98 |
| April 2026 | 88 |
| March 2026 | 95 |
| February 2026 | 95 |
| January 2026 | 88 |
| December 2025 | 80 |
| November 2025 | 97 |
| October 2025 | 91 |
| September 2025 | 122 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Kirkby recorded notably more other crime (2.1 times the national rate), robbery (79% above the national rate) and public order (56% above the national rate). On the year before, public order rose from 77 to 94, while burglary fell from 59 to 44 and shoplifting fell from 155 to 118.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 471 | 52.1 | 34.2 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 118 | 13.0 | 15.4 | +15% |
| Shoplifting | 118 | 13.0 | 8.5 | -24% |
| Public order | 94 | 10.4 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 93 | 10.3 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 59 | 6.5 | 6.4 | -19% |
| Vehicle crime | 54 | 6.0 | 5.0 | +15% |
| Burglary | 44 | 4.9 | 3.6 | -25% |
| Other crime | 41 | 4.5 | 2.1 | +8% |
| Drugs | 26 | 2.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 22 | 2.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than South Kirkby; the highest is Hemsworth (136.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Ackworth Moor Top (58.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Kirkby |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Elmsall | 1,302 | 110.4 | -14% |
| Hemsworth | 1,355 | 136.4 | +7% |
| Grimethorpe | 717 | 115.2 | -10% |
| Upton (Wakefield) | 527 | 81.3 | -36% |
| Thurnscoe | 1,105 | 109.5 | -14% |
| Ackworth Moor Top | 389 | 58.4 | -54% |
| Cudworth and Shafton | 1,258 | 99.9 | -22% |
| Goldthorpe | 1,021 | 132.8 | +4% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in South Kirkby over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Millars Walk” (94).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Millars Walk | 94 |
| On or near Saxon Avenue | 55 |
| On or near Marion Close | 35 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 34 |
| On or near Vicarage Close | 33 |
| On or near Park Avenue | 30 |
| On or near Park Estate | 29 |
| On or near Tempest Road | 26 |
| On or near Mill Street | 25 |
| On or near Barnsley Road | 24 |
Of the 1,038 crimes in South Kirkby with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 118 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 411 | 39.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 302 | 29.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 134 | 12.9% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 50 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 48 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 33 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 25 | 2.4% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
South Kirkby has an estimated population of 9,047 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (32%, against 18%), more social housing (30%, against 17%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (16%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Kirkby average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | South Kirkby | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 16.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 32.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 29.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 38.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is South Kirkby a safe place to live?
South Kirkby recorded 127.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 135th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and robbery.
What is the most common crime in South Kirkby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 471 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (118).
Is crime in South Kirkby going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Kirkby was down 6% on the year before: 1,156 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,228 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Kirkby?
About 9,047 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Kirkby?
South Kirkby is policed by West Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.