Crime in Sowerby: statistics, rates and trends
361 crimes were recorded in Sowerby in the 12 months to August 2026, 58.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (157), anti-social behaviour (84) and criminal damage and arson (28) made up 75% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 985th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Sowerby | North Yorkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 361 | 41,610 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.6 | 65.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 6,165 | 635,270 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sowerby peaked in the year to August 2024 (382 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (296). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 361 | 58.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 356 | 57.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 382 | 62.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 343 | 55.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 296 | 48.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 317 | 51.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 333 | 54.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 372 | 60.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 303 | 49.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 25 |
| July 2026 | 34 |
| June 2026 | 23 |
| May 2026 | 21 |
| April 2026 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 29 |
| February 2026 | 38 |
| January 2026 | 36 |
| December 2025 | 25 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 30 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (56% below) and public order (51% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 135 to 157, while criminal damage and arson fell from 48 to 28 and shoplifting fell from 31 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 157 | 25.5 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 84 | 13.6 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 28 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -42% |
| Shoplifting | 23 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -26% |
| Public order | 20 | 3.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 13 | 2.1 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 1.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 6 | 1.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Sowerby; the highest is Northallerton (105.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Strensall (24.6).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sowerby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northallerton | 1,398 | 105.2 | +80% |
| Ripon | 1,034 | 59.9 | +2% |
| Easingwold | 339 | 57.5 | -2% |
| Knaresborough | 1,062 | 63.2 | +8% |
| Harrogate | 5,520 | 71.2 | +22% |
| Catterick Garrison | 469 | 52.3 | -11% |
| Strensall | 127 | 24.6 | -58% |
| Haxby | 529 | 52.0 | -11% |
Sowerby & Topcliffe is the one area listed within Sowerby, with 49.0 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sowerby & Topcliffe | Neighbourhood | 8,810 | 432 | 49.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 59% of the crime recorded in Sowerby over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Oak Drive” (49).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oak Drive | 49 |
| On or near Supermarket | 34 |
| On or near Parking Area | 32 |
| On or near School Garth | 18 |
| On or near Chapel Street | 16 |
| On or near | 14 |
| On or near Topcliffe Road | 14 |
| On or near Primrose Drive | 13 |
| On or near Westgate | 13 |
| On or near Racecourse Mews | 10 |
Of the 277 crimes in Sowerby with a recorded outcome, 19% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 84 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 119 | 43.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 53 | 19.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 35 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 21 | 7.6% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 12 | 4.3% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
Sowerby has an estimated population of 6,165 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and more retired residents (29%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sowerby average decile 7.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Sowerby | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Sowerby a safe place to live?
Sowerby recorded 58.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 985th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Sowerby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 157 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (84).
Is crime in Sowerby going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sowerby was up 1% on the year before: 361 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 356 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sowerby?
About 6,165 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sowerby?
Sowerby 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.