Crime and Safety in South Shields
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
South Shields is the most dangerous major town in Tyne & Wear, and is the third most dangerous overall out of Tyne & Wear's 28 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in South Shields in 2026 is 100 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Tyne & Wear's overall crime rate, coming in 31% higher than the Tyne & Wear rate of 76 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, South Shields is the 54th safest major town, and the 1,135th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In February 2026, South Shields had the worst crime rate in Tyne & Wear for violence and sexual offences, with 187 crimes reported and a crime rate of 2.4 per 1,000 daytime population. April 2026 was also a bad month for South Shields residents, when it was again Tyne & Wear's most dangerous area for violence and sexual offences, recording 203 crimes at a rate of 2.6 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in South Shields are violence and sexual offences, with 3,156 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 41. This is 12% lower than 2025's figure of 3,573 offences and a difference of 5.40 from 2025's crime rate of 46. South Shields's least common crime is theft from the person, with 42 offences recorded in 2026, an increase of 5% from 2025's figure of 40 crimes.
South Shields 2026 Crime Scorecard
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Tyne & Wear
17% higher, regional crime rate
North East
38% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in South Shields is 17% higher than the North East and 38% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
South Shields Crime Rate Over Time
| South Shields | |
| North East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
South Shields Crime Map
Incidents mapped in South Shields represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
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 visualise the data you need.
See How South Shields Compares
You can compare South Shields's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to South Shields's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around South Shields up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of South Shields's 1,682 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in South Shields? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
South Shields • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within South Shields has a crime risk score of 653. This is based on analysis of 1,682 nearby areas within South Shields, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in South Shields's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in South Shields, crime risk scores are typically around 653, while in Tyne & Wear they are average 515.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 718 (576 for Tyne & Wear), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 760 (Tyne & Wear 622).
Trends in Crime Risk
South Shields
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
The 10-year trend indicates a decrease of 17% in South Shields's crime risk score. This is potentially a strong signal of how the crime risk is evolving. Cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in South Shields's crime risk score is down by 13%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, analysis may offer further insight when combined with the checks mentioned above.
Over the last year, South Shields's crime risk score has shown a downward trend of approximately 13%, indicating that the risk profile is going down. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
South Shields
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
South Shields • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Shoplifting offences have a crime rate of 14 reports per 1,000 people in South Shields, which is 2.03 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 1,116 crime reports logged by Northumbria Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Northumbria Police recorded 911 reports of Criminal Damage and Arson in South Shields, resulting in a crime rate of 12 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 1.88.
The crime rate for Possession of Weapons is 1.71 times the national average at 1.33 reports per 1,000. This is from 102 crime reports reported to Northumbria Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
South Shields
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Burglary offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.50 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Burglary CrimeRate Index was 1.17 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 57% over this timeframe.
Robbery offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.90 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Robbery CrimeRate Index was 0.44 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 105% over this timeframe.
Criminal Damage and Arson offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 2.19 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Criminal Damage and Arson CrimeRate Index was 2.16 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 1.4% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
South Shields
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Vehicle Crime offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.40 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Vehicle Crime CrimeRate Index was 1.09 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 63% over this timeframe.
Violence and Sexual Offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.08 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Violence and Sexual Offences CrimeRate Index was 1.57 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 31% over this timeframe.
Public Order offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.21 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Public Order CrimeRate Index was 1.91 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 37% over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
South Shields • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
South Shields | Tyne & Wear | North East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,667 | 21.57 | 1.53 | 23,059 | 17.10 | 1.21 | 60,647 | 19.76 | 1.40 |
| Bicycle Theft | 51 | 0.67 | 0.97 | 710 | 0.54 | 0.74 | 1,566 | 0.51 | 0.70 |
| Burglary | 300 | 3.89 | 1.24 | 5,081 | 3.77 | 1.20 | 12,568 | 4.10 | 1.31 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 911 | 11.79 | 1.88 | 11,024 | 8.17 | 1.30 | 31,671 | 10.32 | 1.64 |
| Drugs | 202 | 2.61 | 0.84 | 2,980 | 2.21 | 0.72 | 7,960 | 2.59 | 0.84 |
| Other Crime | 333 | 4.32 | 2.34 | 4,262 | 3.16 | 1.71 | 10,427 | 3.40 | 1.84 |
| Other Theft | 460 | 5.95 | 1.05 | 7,032 | 5.20 | 0.91 | 16,082 | 5.24 | 0.92 |
| Possession of Weapons | 102 | 1.33 | 1.71 | 1,082 | 0.79 | 0.93 | 2,627 | 0.84 | 0.99 |
| Public Order | 685 | 8.88 | 1.53 | 9,204 | 6.82 | 1.18 | 22,100 | 7.21 | 1.24 |
| Robbery | 101 | 1.30 | 1.10 | 1,813 | 1.35 | 1.14 | 3,786 | 1.23 | 1.04 |
| Shoplifting | 1,116 | 14.46 | 2.03 | 14,098 | 10.46 | 1.47 | 33,748 | 10.99 | 1.54 |
| Theft From the Person | 42 | 0.56 | 0.39 | 824 | 0.61 | 0.39 | 1,449 | 0.47 | 0.30 |
| Vehicle Crime | 236 | 3.06 | 0.71 | 4,898 | 3.61 | 0.84 | 11,617 | 3.77 | 0.88 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,156 | 40.86 | 1.34 | 39,832 | 29.55 | 0.97 | 104,999 | 34.22 | 1.13 |
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Total Crime by Year
South Shields | Tyne & Wear | North East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 7,695 | 99.68 | 1.39 | 102,840 | 76.24 | 1.06 | 260,600 | 84.89 | 1.18 |
| 2025 | 8,500 | 110.44 | 1.49 | 117,105 | 87.13 | 1.18 | 272,201 | 89.21 | 1.21 |
| 2024 | 8,741 | 114.21 | 1.51 | 120,036 | 90.33 | 1.20 | 285,067 | 94.47 | 1.25 |
| 2023 | 9,105 | 119.36 | 1.51 | 121,430 | 92.52 | 1.17 | 295,603 | 99.04 | 1.25 |
| 2022 | 8,233 | 108.42 | 1.41 | 116,049 | 89.56 | 1.17 | 273,599 | 93.03 | 1.21 |
| 2021 | 7,645 | 100.38 | 1.47 | 107,826 | 83.61 | 1.22 | 250,848 | 85.95 | 1.25 |
| 2020 | 8,424 | 109.97 | 1.48 | 122,585 | 94.98 | 1.28 | 276,026 | 94.68 | 1.28 |
| 2019 | 9,598 | 124.52 | 1.63 | 139,523 | 108.10 | 1.42 | 298,335 | 102.44 | 1.34 |
| 2018 | 9,324 | 120.00 | 1.69 | 134,395 | 104.16 | 1.46 | 280,195 | 96.33 | 1.35 |
| 2017 | 7,374 | 94.68 | 1.48 | 108,660 | 84.25 | 1.32 | 226,807 | 78.00 | 1.22 |
| 2016 | 2,299 | 29.55 | 1.55 | 31,151 | 24.16 | 1.27 | 66,798 | 22.96 | 1.20 |
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South Shields Compared to Nearby Major Towns
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Shields | 7,695 | 99.68 | - |
| Sunderland | 23,684 | 78.75 | 21% safer |
| Tynemouth | 5,570 | 74.97 | 25% safer |
| Gateshead | 15,048 | 73.67 | 26% safer |
| Washington | 3,729 | 69.92 | 30% safer |
Comparing South Shields to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 20% safer |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 17% safer |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 16% safer |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 1.8% safer |
| South Shields | 99.68 | - |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 5.0% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 5% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 7% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 7% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 8% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 25% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
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You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around South Shields's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in South Shields that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westoe Cemetery | 40 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 53 |
| The Jack Clark Recreation Park | 4 | - | - | - | 15 | 5 |
| Harton Quays Park | 30 | 1 | 7 | - | 24 | 82 |
| Roman Park | 5 | - | 2 | - | 6 | 7 |
| North Marine Park | 59 | - | 6 | - | 32 | 22 |
| South Marine Park | 39 | 4 | 4 | - | 25 | 19 |
| Robert Readhead Park | 9 | 1 | 2 | - | 7 | 18 |
| West Park | 15 | - | 14 | 3 | 34 | 96 |
| Brinkburn Recreation Ground | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Harton Lane Allotments | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Lawrence Avenue Allotments | 3 | - | - | - | 5 | 1 |
| Temple Memorial Park | 55 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 37 | 28 |
| King George V Playing Field | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 13 | 12 |
| Bents Recreation Ground | 14 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 10 |
| Gypsies Green Sports Ground | 12 | - | 2 | - | 10 | 3 |
| Harton Cemetery | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 24 |
| Cleadon Park | 30 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 30 | 33 |
Recent Crimes in South Shields
The 20 most recent crime reports in South Shields.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Parking Area | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Hospital | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Nightclub | |
| April 2026 | Bicycle theft | On or near Sunningdale | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Baring Street | |
| April 2026 | Drugs | On or near Winskell Road | |
| April 2026 | Drugs | On or near Winskell Road | |
| April 2026 | Other crime | On or near Hospital | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Craik Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Nightclub | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Tanfield Gardens | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Clifton Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Theft from the person | On or near Hospital | |
| April 2026 | Theft from the person | On or near Eglesfield Road | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Handel Street | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Queensland Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Pine Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Winskell Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Devon Gardens | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Darras Court |
Methodology & Data Sources
South Shields Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in South Shields during July 2026 will typically become available in September 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
South Shields Data Points
For South Shields, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2022 release of their Built Up Areas dataset, using the BUA22CD column value E63000087.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses South Shields's daytime - or "workday" - population of 64,974 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in South Shields