Crime in Sowerby: statistics, rates and trends
367 crimes were recorded in Sowerby in the 12 months to July 2026, 59.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Sowerby at a glance
- Crime trends in Sowerby
- Types of crime in Sowerby
- Sowerby compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Sowerby
- Streets with the most crime in Sowerby
- What happened after crimes were reported in Sowerby
- Population and deprivation in Sowerby
- Questions about crime in Sowerby
- About this data
Note: North Yorkshire Police did not publish data for July 2026. Twelve-month figures here are estimated from the months that were published.
367 crimes were recorded in Sowerby in the 12 months to July 2026, 59.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 4% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 159 reports (43% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Sowerby has the 969th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Sowerby | North Yorkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 367 | 40,894 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.5 | 64.4 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 6,165 | 635,270 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Sowerby was highest in the year to July 2024 (385 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (281). Over the whole period it rose 31%, 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 | 367 | 59.5 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 354 | 57.4 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 385 | 62.4 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 337 | 54.7 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 293 | 47.5 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 322 | 52.2 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 331 | 53.7 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 379 | 61.5 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 281 | 45.6 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 34 |
| July 2025 | 24 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Sowerby 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. The largest increases were in violence and sexual offences (+18%).
The largest falls were in shoplifting (-38%) and criminal damage and arson (-30%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 159 | 25.8 | 0.75 | +18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 87 | 14.1 | 0.92 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 31 | 5.0 | 0.74 | -30% |
| Shoplifting | 21 | 3.4 | 0.41 | -38% |
| Public order | 17 | 2.8 | 0.42 | +89% |
| Other theft | 13 | 2.1 | 0.33 | +8% |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.9 | 0.60 | +33% |
| Burglary | 8 | 1.3 | 0.37 | -20% |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.8 | 0.38 | -55% |
| Vehicle crime | 5 | 0.8 | 0.16 | -29% |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.6 | 0.67 | +100% |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.39 | +100% |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 0.12 | n/a |
Violence and sexual offences in Sowerby
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Sowerby recorded 159 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (25.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 18% on the year before. It made up 43.3% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Sowerby
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Sowerby recorded 87 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (14.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 23.7% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Sowerby
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Sowerby recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 30% on the year before. It made up 8.4% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Sowerby
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Sowerby recorded 21 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 38% on the year before. It made up 5.7% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Sowerby
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Sowerby recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 89% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Sowerby
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Sowerby recorded 13 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 8% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Sowerby
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Sowerby recorded 12 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 33% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Sowerby
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Sowerby recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 2.2% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Sowerby
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Sowerby recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 55% on the year before. It made up 1.4% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Sowerby
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Sowerby recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 29% on the year before. It made up 1.4% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Sowerby
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Sowerby recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 100% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Sowerby
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Sowerby recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 100% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Sowerby
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Sowerby recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Sowerby, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Sowerby.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sowerby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northallerton | 1,407 | 105.9 | +78% |
| Ripon | 1,016 | 58.9 | -1% |
| Easingwold | 325 | 55.1 | -7% |
| Knaresborough | 1,079 | 64.2 | +8% |
| Harrogate | 5,380 | 69.4 | +17% |
| Catterick Garrison | 476 | 53.0 | -11% |
| Strensall | 121 | 23.4 | -61% |
| Haxby | 500 | 49.1 | -17% |
1 areas within Sowerby, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Sowerby & Topcliffe had the highest rate (49.8 per 1,000) and Sowerby & Topcliffe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sowerby & Topcliffe | Neighbourhood | 8,810 | 439 | 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 Sowerby over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oak Drive | 47 |
| On or near Parking Area | 31 |
| On or near Supermarket | 31 |
| On or near School Garth | 19 |
| On or near Chapel Street | 16 |
| On or near Topcliffe Road | 13 |
| On or near Westgate | 12 |
| On or near Back Lane | 11 |
| On or near | 10 |
| On or near Racecourse Mews | 10 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Sowerby 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 | 109 | 32.4% |
| Not recorded | 80 | 23.8% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 45 | 13.4% |
| Under investigation | 33 | 9.8% |
| Status update unavailable | 23 | 6.8% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 12 | 3.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 12 | 3.6% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 2.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 2.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.6% |
Sowerby has an estimated population of 6,165. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Sowerby sits in decile 7.5, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Sowerby |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 58.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.1% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.0% |
| Private rented homes | 16.5% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.5 |
Is Sowerby a safe place to live?
Sowerby recorded 59.5 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 Sowerby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 159 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (87).
Is crime in Sowerby going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sowerby was up 4% on the year before: 367 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 354 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Sowerby?
Sowerby is policed by North 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 Sowerby. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.