Sheffield Crime Overview
Sheffield is the most dangerous major city in South Yorkshire, and is the 42nd most dangerous overall out of South Yorkshire's 110 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Sheffield in 2020 was 86 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to South Yorkshire's overall crime rate, coming in 4.4% lower than the South Yorkshire rate of 90 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Sheffield is the safest major city, and the 816th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Sheffield had the worst crime rate in South Yorkshire for bicycle theft, with 39 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.07 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Sheffield residents, when it was South Yorkshire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 331 crimes at a rate of 0.60 per 1,000 residents. Sheffield recorded 421 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.76 the worst for criminal damage and arson in South Yorkshire that month.
The most common crimes in Sheffield are violence and sexual offences, with 16,949 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 31. This is 1.2% higher than 2019's figure of 16,748 offences and a difference of 0.37 from 2019's crime rate of 30. Sheffield's least common crime is theft from the person, with 459 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 116% from 2019's figure of 990 crimes.
Compare Sheffield to other towns and cities
See how Sheffield shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Sheffield and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Sheffield Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Sheffield This Year
| Sheffield | South Yorkshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 14,018 | 25.39 | 34,858 | 24.74 | 2.6% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 466 | 0.84 | 886 | 0.63 | 25% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 3,749 | 6.79 | 10,031 | 7.12 | 4.9% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 5,376 | 9.74 | 14,691 | 10.43 | 7% safer |
| Drugs | 1,762 | 3.19 | 3,999 | 2.84 | 11% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 1,388 | 2.51 | 4,318 | 3.06 | 22% safer |
| Other Theft | 3,174 | 5.75 | 9,080 | 6.44 | 12% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 638 | 1.16 | 1,539 | 1.09 | 6% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 5,502 | 9.96 | 14,283 | 10.14 | 1.8% safer |
| Robbery | 586 | 1.06 | 1,319 | 0.94 | 11% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 3,036 | 5.50 | 6,687 | 4.75 | 14% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 459 | 0.83 | 843 | 0.60 | 28% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 4,295 | 7.78 | 10,185 | 7.23 | 7% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 16,949 | 30.70 | 48,403 | 34.35 | 12% safer |
Crime in Sheffield Compared To South Yorkshire
Sheffield Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 50 | 32 | 23 | 25 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.3 | 0.91 | 0.95 | 0.84 | Safer |
| Burglary | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.95 | 0.93 | 1.2 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.83 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 25 | 28 | 30 | 31 | Getting worse |
Changes In Sheffield's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Sheffield to the UK's Major Cities
| Major City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 27% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 11% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 3.1% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | - |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 0.46% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 12% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 17% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 20% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 35% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 37% more dangerous |
Crime in Sheffield's Neighbourhoods
Tinsley & Carbrook is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Sheffield, followed by Devonshire Quarter in second place, and Burngreave & Grimesthorpe as the third most dangerous area. Sheffield's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Bents Green & Millhouses, Ecclesall & Greystones, and Endcliffe & Ranmoor.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbourthorne | 813 | 147 | Fifth |
| Bents Green & Millhouses | 319 | 33 | 55th |
| Birley | 945 | 86 | 30th |
| Brightside & Wincobank | 716 | 72 | 37th |
| Brincliffe & Sharrow Vale | 381 | 46 | 47th |
| Brinsworth | 743 | 83 | 31st |
| Broomhall | 654 | 71 | 38th |
| Broomhill & Lower Crookesmoor | 646 | 79 | 32nd |
| Burngreave & Grimesthorpe | 2,355 | 159 | Third |
| Cathedral & Kelham | 2,231 | 105 | 20th |
| Charnock & Basegreen | 452 | 74 | 36th |
| Crabtree & Fir Vale | 1,034 | 105 | 21st |
| Crookes | 266 | 43 | 51st |
| Darnall | 853 | 100 | 23rd |
| Devonshire Quarter | 1,830 | 163 | Second |
| Dore & Whirlow | 345 | 34 | 54th |
| Ecclesall & Greystones | 300 | 33 | 56th |
| Ecclesfield South | 462 | 63 | 40th |
| Endcliffe & Ranmoor | 288 | 29 | 57th |
| Firth Park | 930 | 110 | 18th |
| Gleadless | 478 | 75 | 35th |
| Greenhill & Lowedges | 605 | 92 | 27th |
| Hackenthorpe | 400 | 70 | 39th |
| Handsworth South | 590 | 94 | 25th |
| Heeley & Newfield Green | 779 | 95 | 24th |
| Herdings & Gleadless Valley | 745 | 117 | 16th |
| Highfield & Lowfield | 1,701 | 128 | 11th |
| Hillsborough, Owlerton & Wadsley Bridge | 893 | 146 | Sixth |
| Intake | 566 | 76 | 33rd |
| Malin Bridge & Wisewood | 358 | 46 | 46th |
| Meersbrook | 400 | 52 | 44th |
| Mosborough & Halfway | 411 | 46 | 48th |
| Nether Edge | 569 | 55 | 42nd |
| Norfolk Park | 913 | 121 | 13th |
| Norton & Norton Lees | 653 | 76 | 34th |
| Park Hill & Wybourn | 1,630 | 120 | 14th |
| Parson Cross | 1,315 | 135 | Seventh |
| Richmond & Stradbroke | 824 | 107 | 19th |
| Sandygate & Crosspool | 252 | 40 | 52nd |
| Sharrow | 1,159 | 113 | 17th |
| Sheffield Lane Top & Longley Park | 771 | 127 | 12th |
| Shirecliffe & Parkwood Springs | 931 | 134 | Eighth |
| Shiregreen North | 545 | 93 | 26th |
| Shiregreen South | 626 | 90 | 28th |
| Sothall | 253 | 48 | 45th |
| Southey Green East | 938 | 119 | 15th |
| Southey Green West | 1,185 | 134 | Ninth |
| Springvale & Steel Bank | 241 | 40 | 53rd |
| Tinsley & Carbrook | 1,512 | 213 | First |
| Totley & Bradway | 402 | 53 | 43rd |
| Upperthorpe, Netherthorpe & Langsett | 1,134 | 100 | 22nd |
| Wadsley & Marlcliffe | 258 | 44 | 49th |
| Walkley | 411 | 44 | 50th |
| Westfield & Waterthorpe | 777 | 90 | 29th |
| Woodhouse West | 886 | 147 | Fourth |
| Woodseats | 427 | 56 | 41st |
| Woodthorpe | 1,328 | 130 | Tenth |
Sheffield Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Sheffield for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Endcliffe & Ranmoor (61) | Woodhouse West (337) |
| Bicycle Theft | Dore & Whirlow (1) | Devonshire Quarter (39) |
| Burglary | Malin Bridge & Wisewood (23) | Devonshire Quarter (158) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Endcliffe & Ranmoor (13) | Woodhouse West (164) |
| Drugs | Sandygate & Crosspool (2) | Tinsley & Carbrook (185) |
| Other Crime | Springvale & Steel Bank (1) | Cathedral & Kelham (125) |
| Other Theft | Sandygate & Crosspool (8) | Hillsborough, Owlerton & Wadsley Bridge (107) |
| Possession of Weapons | Dore & Whirlow (1) | Devonshire Quarter (39) |
| Public Order | Endcliffe & Ranmoor (24) | Tinsley & Carbrook (157) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Dore & Whirlow (1) | Devonshire Quarter (57) |
| Shoplifting | Endcliffe & Ranmoor (1) | Tinsley & Carbrook (269) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Dore & Whirlow (1) | Devonshire Quarter (140) |
| Vehicle Crime | Malin Bridge & Wisewood (25) | Tinsley & Carbrook (164) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Endcliffe & Ranmoor (62) | Shirecliffe & Parkwood Springs (413) |
Crime in Sheffield During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Sheffield change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in November, when Sheffield saw a 99% increase in drugs. Sheffield saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 84% compared to May in 2019. Robbery saw a fall in every month of Sheffield's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -6% | +22% | +37% | +20% | +8% | +28% | +24% | +12% | +3% | +1% |
| Bicycle Theft | -21% | -32% | -34% | -33% | +6% | -23% | +3% | +19% | -19% | -24% |
| Burglary | -30% | -45% | -46% | -39% | -21% | -37% | -36% | -22% | -21% | -23% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -9% | -41% | -24% | -9% | +12% | +11% | +1% | -5% | -1% | -12% |
| Drugs | +21% | -4% | +70% | +50% | +61% | +28% | +44% | +57% | +99% | +67% |
| Other Crime | +46% | +20% | +29% | +17% | +18% | +41% | -11% | - | +44% | +37% |
| Other Theft | -21% | -46% | -44% | -45% | -33% | -29% | -36% | -42% | -34% | -34% |
| Possession of Weapons | +16% | -29% | +11% | - | -11% | -18% | -3% | +2% | +54% | -19% |
| Public Order | +28% | +14% | +49% | +17% | 0% | +2% | +16% | -1% | -1% | -22% |
| Robbery | -14% | -63% | -42% | -47% | -19% | +56% | -18% | -39% | -38% | -22% |
| Shoplifting | -2% | -61% | -42% | -40% | -24% | -16% | -10% | -26% | -24% | -48% |
| Theft From the Person | -21% | -78% | -84% | -84% | -69% | -69% | -49% | -71% | -80% | -60% |
| Vehicle Crime | 0% | -43% | -40% | -48% | -33% | -25% | -27% | -20% | -18% | -16% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +4% | -8% | +4% | +4% | +1% | +4% | +4% | -6% | -8% | -17% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Sheffield
What police force serves Sheffield?
Sheffield's local territorial police force is the South Yorkshire Police.How dangerous is Sheffield?
Sheffield is the most dangerous major city in South Yorkshire.What is Sheffield's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Sheffield are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Sheffield?
Sheffield's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021