Barnsley Crime Overview
Barnsley is among the top 5 most dangerous cities in Yorkshire and The Humber, and the 36th most dangerous overall out of the UK's cities. The overall crime rate in Barnsley in 2020 was 78 crimes per 1,000 people.
The most common crimes in Barnsley are violence and sexual offences, with 8,071 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 33. This is 1.2% higher than 2019's figure of 7,974 offences and a difference of 0.39 from 2019's crime rate of 32. Barnsley's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 67 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 45% from 2019's figure of 97 crimes.
Barnsley Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Barnsley This Year
| Barnsley | ||
|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 4,746 | 19.23 |
| Bicycle Theft | 67 | 0.27 |
| Burglary | 1,386 | 5.61 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,575 | 10.43 |
| Drugs | 626 | 2.54 |
| Other Crime | 770 | 3.12 |
| Other Theft | 1,352 | 5.48 |
| Possession of Weapons | 203 | 0.82 |
| Public Order | 2,199 | 8.91 |
| Robbery | 163 | 0.66 |
| Shoplifting | 698 | 2.83 |
| Theft From the Person | 80 | 0.32 |
| Vehicle Crime | 1,102 | 4.46 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 8,071 | 32.69 |
Barnsley Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 36 | 24 | 18 | 19 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.44 | 0.48 | 0.39 | 0.27 | Safer |
| Burglary | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 13 | 12 | 12 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.54 | 0.71 | 0.89 | 0.82 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.81 | 0.66 | 0.77 | 0.66 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.65 | 0.72 | 0.53 | 0.32 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4.5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 28 | 32 | 32 | 33 | Getting worse |
Comparing Barnsley to the UK's Major Cities
| Cities | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 71.50 | 9% safer |
| Sheffield | 73.99 | 6% safer |
| Kirklees | 74.23 | 5% safer |
| Croydon | 77.18 | 1.3% safer |
| Barnsley | 78.15 | - |
| Bradford | 79.19 | 1.3% more dangerous |
| London | 80.70 | 3.2% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 89.02 | 12% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 91.57 | 15% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 91.90 | 15% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 102.51 | 24% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 105.94 | 26% more dangerous |
Crime in Barnsley During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Barnsley change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in November, when Barnsley saw a 150% increase in bicycle theft. Barnsley saw a large fall in bicycle theft during September, when it fell by 88% compared to September in 2019. Barnsley saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including other theft, shoplifting, and vehicle crime.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -8% | +22% | +68% | +36% | +7% | +38% | +7% | +7% | +26% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -44% | -36% | -45% | +14% | -64% | -88% | +100% | +150% |
| Burglary | -5% | -8% | -42% | -27% | -47% | -34% | -41% | +42% | +26% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | - | -32% | +1% | -15% | -4% | +10% | +37% | -8% | +23% |
| Drugs | +14% | -13% | +59% | +16% | +103% | +3% | +27% | +29% | +21% |
| Other Crime | - | +20% | +55% | +76% | +14% | +13% | +49% | +2% | +45% |
| Other Theft | -18% | -22% | -50% | -25% | -13% | -13% | -21% | -34% | -25% |
| Possession of Weapons | -6% | -55% | +50% | -29% | -19% | -5% | +21% | -5% | +67% |
| Public Order | +3% | +1% | +65% | +2% | +20% | +14% | -2% | -13% | +14% |
| Robbery | - | -27% | - | -37% | -32% | -6% | -28% | +7% | -35% |
| Shoplifting | -24% | -65% | -70% | -45% | -26% | -39% | -38% | -36% | -53% |
| Theft From the Person | +60% | -71% | -22% | -31% | -77% | -67% | -14% | -64% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -23% | -54% | -52% | -46% | -36% | -49% | -48% | -25% | -40% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +21% | -10% | +14% | +27% | +20% | +24% | +13% | -8% | +6% |
Barnsley's Population Centres
| Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference from Barnsley | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penistone | 462 | 36 | 117% safer |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Barnsley
What police force serves Barnsley?
Barnsley's local territorial police force is the South Yorkshire Police.How dangerous is Barnsley?
Barnsley is among the top 5 most dangerous cities in Yorkshire and The Humber.What is Barnsley's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Barnsley are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Barnsley?
Barnsley's least common crime is bicycle theft.Last updated: 01 Mar 2021