Doncaster Crime Overview
Doncaster is the most dangerous major town in South Yorkshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of South Yorkshire's 110 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Doncaster in 2020 was 128 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to South Yorkshire's overall crime rate, coming in 30% higher than the South Yorkshire rate of 90 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Doncaster is among the top 5 most dangerous major towns, and the 222nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In April 2015, Doncaster had the worst crime rate in South Yorkshire for other crime, with 35 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.30 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The most common crimes in Doncaster are violence and sexual offences, with 5,501 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 47. This is 10% higher than 2019's figure of 4,942 offences and a difference of 4.78 from 2019's crime rate of 42. Doncaster's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 152 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 7% from 2019's figure of 162 crimes.
Compare Doncaster to other towns and cities
See how Doncaster shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Doncaster and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Doncaster Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Doncaster This Year
| Doncaster | South Yorkshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 3,453 | 29.55 | 34,858 | 24.74 | 16% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 152 | 1.30 | 886 | 0.63 | 52% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 1,331 | 11.39 | 10,031 | 7.12 | 37% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,551 | 13.28 | 14,691 | 10.43 | 21% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 511 | 4.37 | 3,999 | 2.84 | 35% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 544 | 4.66 | 4,318 | 3.06 | 34% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 1,088 | 9.31 | 9,080 | 6.44 | 31% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 203 | 1.74 | 1,539 | 1.09 | 37% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,713 | 14.66 | 14,283 | 10.14 | 31% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 171 | 1.46 | 1,319 | 0.94 | 36% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 974 | 8.34 | 6,687 | 4.75 | 43% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 165 | 1.41 | 843 | 0.60 | 57% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 1,042 | 8.92 | 10,185 | 7.23 | 19% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 5,501 | 47.08 | 48,403 | 34.35 | 27% more dangerous |
Crime in Doncaster Compared To South Yorkshire
Doncaster Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 50 | 38 | 28 | 30 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.7 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Burglary | 12 | 13 | 15 | 11 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 17 | 15 | 15 | 13 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.4 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 4.7 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 12 | 13 | 12 | 9 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 15 | 13 | 11 | 8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 2.2 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 40 | 44 | 42 | 47 | Getting worse |
Changes In Doncaster's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Doncaster to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Doncaster's Neighbourhoods
Central Doncaster & Hyde Park is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Doncaster, followed by Balby Carr in second place, and Hexthorpe & Balby North as the third most dangerous area. Doncaster's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Bessacarr Bawtry Road, Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside, and Cantley Park.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balby Carr | 1,458 | 156 | Second |
| Balby South | 964 | 108 | Sixth |
| Bessacarr Bawtry Road | 648 | 80 | Eighth |
| Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside | 362 | 49 | Ninth |
| Cantley Park | 508 | 86 | Seventh |
| Central Doncaster & Hyde Park | 4,930 | 367 | First |
| Hexthorpe & Balby North | 996 | 148 | Third |
| Intake | 1,209 | 127 | Fourth |
| Wheatley Hills | 1,213 | 117 | Fifth |
Doncaster Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Doncaster for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (102) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (1,017) |
| Bicycle Theft | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (3) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (69) |
| Burglary | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (45) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (269) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (32) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (393) |
| Drugs | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (4) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (266) |
| Other Crime | Cantley Park (6) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (259) |
| Other Theft | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (25) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (334) |
| Possession of Weapons | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (3) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (77) |
| Public Order | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (47) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (727) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Balby South (4) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (67) |
| Shoplifting | Hexthorpe & Balby North (22) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (415) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Bessacarr Bawtry Road (1) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (117) |
| Vehicle Crime | Cantley Park (17) | Balby Carr (148) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside (142) | Central Doncaster & Hyde Park (1,731) |
Crime in Doncaster During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Doncaster change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in December, when Doncaster saw a 180% increase in possession of weapons. Doncaster saw a large fall in vehicle crime during June, when it fell by 70% compared to June in 2019. Doncaster saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including burglary, other theft, shoplifting, theft from the person, and vehicle crime.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +5% | +25% | +14% | -4% | +13% | +22% | +45% | +6% | -4% | -6% |
| Bicycle Theft | -45% | - | +5% | +17% | +129% | +20% | +18% | -42% | +9% | -7% |
| Burglary | +3% | -30% | -47% | -52% | -36% | -21% | -43% | -10% | -13% | -7% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -7% | -14% | +17% | +9% | -15% | -15% | +6% | -28% | -13% | +2% |
| Drugs | +5% | -19% | +11% | -7% | -7% | +8% | -13% | -7% | +54% | -5% |
| Other Crime | -36% | +31% | -14% | +37% | - | -2% | +32% | -17% | -2% | -6% |
| Other Theft | -17% | -44% | -15% | -16% | +7% | -22% | -18% | -33% | -24% | -39% |
| Possession of Weapons | +6% | +9% | -44% | -24% | +6% | -11% | +64% | +20% | +79% | +180% |
| Public Order | +26% | -4% | +10% | +16% | +14% | -5% | +33% | +13% | -22% | +6% |
| Robbery | +8% | +17% | -55% | -48% | +25% | -37% | +60% | - | - | +60% |
| Shoplifting | -30% | -59% | -68% | +3% | -24% | -28% | -4% | -39% | -8% | -32% |
| Theft From the Person | +146% | -70% | -55% | -50% | -33% | -18% | -61% | -56% | -63% | -59% |
| Vehicle Crime | -37% | -52% | -49% | -70% | -39% | -2% | -26% | +8% | -6% | -27% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -8% | +6% | +7% | +24% | +6% | +17% | +25% | +8% | -1% | -2% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Doncaster
What police force serves Doncaster?
Doncaster's local territorial police force is the South Yorkshire Police.How dangerous is Doncaster?
Doncaster is the most dangerous major town in South Yorkshire.What is Doncaster's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Doncaster are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Doncaster?
Doncaster's least common crime is bicycle theft.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021