Whitehaven is the most dangerous small town in Cumbria, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Cumbria's 279 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Whitehaven in 2021 was 90 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Cumbria's overall crime rate, coming in 24% higher than the Cumbria rate of 69 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Whitehaven is the 113rd most dangerous small town, and the 772nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In February 2020, Whitehaven had the worst crime rate in Cumbria for robbery, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.13 per 1,000 inhabitants. August 2020 was also a bad month for Whitehaven residents, when it was Cumbria's most dangerous area for bicycle theft, recording 4 crimes at a rate of 0.17 per 1,000 residents. Whitehaven recorded 3 reports of theft from the person during September 2018, making its crime rate of 0.13 the worst for theft from the person in Cumbria that month.
The most common crimes in Whitehaven are violence and sexual offences, with 1,088 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 47. This is 14% higher than 2020's figure of 940 offences and a difference of 6.40 from 2020's crime rate of 41. Whitehaven's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 5 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 60% from 2020's figure of 8 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Small Towns, Cumbria
43% higher, regional crime rate
North West
19% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Whitehaven is 43% higher than the North West and 19% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Whitehaven | |
| North West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Whitehaven represent the time frame between April 2019 and March 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 90 | 2,080 |
| 2020 | 82 | 1,897 |
| 2019 | 99 | 2,279 |
| 2018 | 106 | 2,463 |
| 2017 | 73 | 1,698 |
| 2016 | 70 | 1,629 |
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| Whitehaven | Cumbria | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 506 | 21.88 | 8,169 | 16.34 | 25% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 5 | 0.22 | 193 | 0.39 | 77% safer |
| Burglary | 55 | 2.38 | 1,379 | 2.76 | 16% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 283 | 12.24 | 4,651 | 9.30 | 24% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 53 | 2.29 | 1,033 | 2.07 | 10% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 35 | 1.51 | 640 | 1.28 | 15% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 92 | 3.98 | 2,377 | 4.75 | 19% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 13 | 0.56 | 232 | 0.46 | 18% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 269 | 11.63 | 4,332 | 8.66 | 26% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.30 | 146 | 0.29 | 3.3% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 140 | 6.05 | 1,615 | 3.23 | 47% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 5 | 0.22 | 92 | 0.18 | 18% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 35 | 1.51 | 729 | 1.46 | 3.3% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,088 | 47.04 | 16,893 | 33.79 | 28% more dangerous |
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windermere | 482 | 59.56 | 51% safer |
| Ulverston | 758 | 64.73 | 39% safer |
| Egremont | 556 | 71.58 | 26% safer |
| Penrith | 1,161 | 73.11 | 23% safer |
| Maryport | 923 | 81.75 | 10% safer |
| Whitehaven | 2,080 | 89.93 | - |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Chapel Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Lowther Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Horsfield Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Copeland Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Meadow View | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ravenhill Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lawson Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Homewood Hill | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Coach Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Stanley View | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Pillar Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Pow Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Duke Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near The Crest | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Inkerman Terrace | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near College Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Catherine Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Parking Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Scotch Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Copeland Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 30 | 20 | 23 | 22 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.17 | 0.22 | 0.35 | 0.22 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 5 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 2.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 2.3 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.61 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 7 | 6 | 4.5 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.82 | 0.78 | 0.35 | 0.56 | Safer |
| Public Order | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.35 | 0.43 | 0.52 | 0.30 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 6 | 4.4 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.95 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.22 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 48 | 51 | 41 | 47 | Getting worse |
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 125% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 81% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 34% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 9% safer |
| Whitehaven | 89.93 | - |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 0.11% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 0.65% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 19% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 27% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 32% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 40% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hensingham, Hillcrest & Aikbank | 495 | 50 | Second |
| Whitehaven Harbour & Corkickle | 1,012 | 191 | First |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Whitehaven change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in September, when Whitehaven saw a 600% increase in vehicle crime. Whitehaven saw a large fall in shoplifting during May, when it fell by 89% compared to May in 2019. Violence and Sexual Offences saw a fall in every month of Whitehaven's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -9% | +83% | +85% | -27% | +65% | +28% | +47% | +15% | -14% | +18% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | -50% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | -50% | -78% | - | +14% | +167% | +13% | +40% | -50% | -29% | -50% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -20% | -25% | -54% | +15% | -4% | -12% | -36% | -23% | -45% | +50% |
| Drugs | -75% | - | +167% | - | -40% | +400% | - | +25% | - | - |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | +200% | -33% | -50% | - | -75% | -67% |
| Other Theft | +30% | -67% | -82% | -44% | -25% | -20% | +50% | -35% | -71% | +29% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | - | - | +100% | - | -50% | - | - |
| Public Order | +19% | -29% | -33% | -28% | +41% | +84% | -29% | -45% | -52% | -58% |
| Robbery | - | - | - | +100% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | +50% | - | -89% | -43% | -50% | +71% | -40% | -24% | -58% | -21% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | +100% | - | -50% | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | - | - | - | +200% | +400% | - | +600% | -75% | +200% | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -33% | -41% | -11% | -17% | +29% | -5% | -29% | -22% | -48% | -50% |
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