Crime in South Shields: statistics, rates and trends
8,969 crimes were recorded in South Shields in the 12 months to August 2026, 121.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Shields at a glance
- Crime trends in South Shields
- Types of crime in South Shields
- South Shields compared with nearby towns
- Areas within South Shields
- Streets with the most crime in South Shields
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Shields
- Demographics of South Shields
- Questions about crime in South Shields
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,767), anti-social behaviour (1,888) and shoplifting (1,213) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 165th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | South Shields | South Tyneside | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 8,969 | 15,579 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 121.8 | 102.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -17% | -1% |
| Population | 73,657 | 151,393 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in South Shields of any year here (8,969 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 8,969 | 121.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 10,728 | 145.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 11,321 | 153.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 12,204 | 165.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 11,055 | 150.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 11,485 | 155.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 11,156 | 151.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 11,997 | 162.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 12,532 | 170.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 881 |
| July 2026 | 905 |
| June 2026 | 815 |
| May 2026 | 813 |
| April 2026 | 741 |
| March 2026 | 731 |
| February 2026 | 490 |
| January 2026 | 282 |
| December 2025 | 773 |
| November 2025 | 796 |
| October 2025 | 907 |
| September 2025 | 835 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Shields recorded notably more shoplifting (95% above the national rate), other crime (86% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (80% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (62% below) and vehicle crime (40% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 76 to 97, while possession of weapons fell from 120 to 73 and drugs fell from 269 to 182.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,767 | 37.6 | 34.2 | -21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,888 | 25.6 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Shoplifting | 1,213 | 16.5 | 8.5 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 893 | 12.1 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Public order | 577 | 7.8 | 6.7 | -28% |
| Other theft | 395 | 5.4 | 6.4 | -22% |
| Other crime | 290 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Burglary | 280 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Vehicle crime | 218 | 3.0 | 5.0 | -24% |
| Drugs | 182 | 2.5 | 3.3 | -32% |
| Robbery | 97 | 1.3 | 1.4 | +28% |
| Possession of weapons | 73 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -39% |
| Bicycle theft | 49 | 0.7 | 0.8 | -9% |
| Theft from the person | 47 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -2% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
South Shields has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Shields |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Boldon and West Boldon | 419 | 56.2 | -54% |
| Jarrow | 3,364 | 120.6 | -1% |
| Boldon Colliery | 578 | 98.4 | -19% |
| Whitburn (South Tyneside) | 288 | 55.1 | -55% |
| Tynemouth | 7,213 | 117.1 | -4% |
| Hebburn | 1,477 | 68.0 | -44% |
| Wallsend | 4,702 | 98.4 | -19% |
| Whitley Bay | 2,415 | 65.4 | -46% |
Of the 9 areas within South Shields, Beacon and Bents had the highest crime rate (252.2 per 1,000) and Harton the lowest (68.5), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon and Bents | Neighbourhood | 7,735 | 1,951 | 252.2 |
| Simonside and Rekendyke | Neighbourhood | 10,033 | 1,889 | 188.3 |
| West Park | Neighbourhood | 7,702 | 1,111 | 144.2 |
| Biddick and All Saints | Neighbourhood | 8,667 | 924 | 106.6 |
| Horsley Hill | Neighbourhood | 9,695 | 1,031 | 106.3 |
| Whiteleas | Neighbourhood | 8,531 | 738 | 86.5 |
| Cleadon Park | Neighbourhood | 7,370 | 543 | 73.7 |
| Westoe | Neighbourhood | 7,530 | 549 | 72.9 |
| Harton | Neighbourhood | 8,220 | 563 | 68.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in South Shields over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (629).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 629 |
| On or near Nightclub | 505 |
| On or near Supermarket | 369 |
| On or near Milton Street | 323 |
| On or near Shrewsbury Terrace | 185 |
| On or near Ferry Street | 136 |
| On or near Hospital | 104 |
| On or near Franklin Street | 99 |
| On or near Priestley Court | 92 |
| On or near John Clay Street | 87 |
Of the 7,081 crimes in South Shields with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,888 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,682 | 37.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 2,028 | 28.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,942 | 27.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 250 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 84 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 33 | 0.5% | 34.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 15 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
South Shields has an estimated population of 73,657 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (30%, against 17%), more households without a car (36%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Shields average decile 3.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | South Shields | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 36.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 30.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 31.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is South Shields a safe place to live?
South Shields recorded 121.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 165th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and other crime.
What is the most common crime in South Shields?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,767 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,888).
Is crime in South Shields going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Shields was down 16% on the year before: 8,969 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 10,728 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Shields?
About 73,657 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Shields?
South Shields is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.