Crime in Whitby: statistics, rates and trends
1,487 crimes were recorded in Whitby in the 12 months to August 2026, 112.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (574), anti-social behaviour (368) and shoplifting (139) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 242nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Whitby | North Yorkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,487 | 41,610 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 112.7 | 65.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 13,190 | 635,270 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Whitby peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,804 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,427). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,487 | 112.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,490 | 113.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,427 | 108.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,443 | 109.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,487 | 112.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,804 | 136.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,602 | 121.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,486 | 112.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,602 | 121.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 184 |
| July 2026 | 127 |
| June 2026 | 119 |
| May 2026 | 154 |
| April 2026 | 128 |
| March 2026 | 148 |
| February 2026 | 118 |
| January 2026 | 109 |
| December 2025 | 100 |
| November 2025 | 123 |
| October 2025 | 85 |
| September 2025 | 92 |
Compared with England and Wales, Whitby recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (82% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (27% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (47% below) and burglary (42% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 20 to 35 and drugs rose from 23 to 40, while public order fell from 93 to 78.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 574 | 43.5 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 368 | 27.9 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 139 | 10.5 | 8.5 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 108 | 8.2 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Public order | 78 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Other theft | 69 | 5.2 | 6.4 | +6% |
| Drugs | 40 | 3.0 | 3.3 | +74% |
| Vehicle crime | 35 | 2.7 | 5.0 | +75% |
| Burglary | 27 | 2.0 | 3.6 | +8% |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Whitby; the highest is Scarborough (168.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Pickering (68.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Whitby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loftus | 705 | 135.2 | +20% |
| Brotton | 444 | 83.9 | -26% |
| Skelton (Redcar and Cleveland) | 663 | 102.5 | -9% |
| Saltburn-by-the-Sea | 587 | 102.4 | -9% |
| Scarborough | 10,011 | 168.5 | +49% |
| Marske-by-the-Sea | 572 | 80.3 | -29% |
| Pickering | 526 | 68.1 | -40% |
| Guisborough | 1,988 | 104.4 | -7% |
Of the 2 areas within Whitby, Whitby Streonshalh had the highest crime rate (142.0 per 1,000) and Whitby West the lowest (97.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitby Streonshalh | Neighbourhood | 4,612 | 655 | 142.0 |
| Whitby West | Neighbourhood | 8,578 | 832 | 97.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Whitby over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “On or near” (177).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near | 177 |
| On or near Windsor Crescent | 114 |
| On or near Angel Yard | 59 |
| On or near Whitby Bus Station | 47 |
| On or near Parking Area | 43 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 41 |
| On or near Talbot Court | 35 |
| On or near St Ann'S Staith | 32 |
| On or near Esplanade | 29 |
| On or near St Hilda'S Gardens | 29 |
Of the 1,119 crimes in Whitby with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 368 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 502 | 44.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 225 | 20.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 141 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 94 | 8.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 44 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 32 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
Whitby has an estimated population of 13,190 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (29%, against 19%), fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (31%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Whitby average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Whitby | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Whitby a safe place to live?
Whitby recorded 112.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 242nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Whitby?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 574 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (368).
Is crime in Whitby going up or down?
Recorded crime in Whitby was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,487 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,490 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Whitby?
About 13,190 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Whitby?
Whitby 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.