South Shields is the third most dangerous major towns in Tyne & Wear, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Tyne & Wear's 28 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in South Shields in 2021 was 104 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Tyne & Wear's overall crime rate, coming in 12% higher than the Tyne & Wear rate of 92 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, South Shields is the 28th most dangerous major town, and the 514th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In March 2021, South Shields was the worst major town in Tyne & Wear for bicycle theft, with 13 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.17 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for South Shields residents, when it was Tyne & Wear's most dangerous major town for possession of weapons, recording 9 crimes at a rate of 0.12 per 1,000 residents. South Shields recorded 8 reports of theft from the person during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.10 the worst major town for theft from the person in Tyne & Wear that month.
The most common crimes in South Shields are violence and sexual offences, with 3,368 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 44. This is 4.5% higher than 2020's figure of 3,217 offences and a difference of 1.97 from 2020's crime rate of 42. South Shields's least common crime is robbery, with 42 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 2.4% from 2020's figure of 43 crimes.
Third Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Tyne & Wear
27% higher, regional crime rate
North East
27% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in South Shields is 27% higher than the North East and 27% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| South Shields | |
| North East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in South Shields represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 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: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 104 | 7,995 |
| 2020 | 100 | 7,697 |
| 2019 | 119 | 9,159 |
| 2018 | 123 | 9,469 |
| 2017 | 114 | 8,777 |
| 2016 | 95 | 7,279 |
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| South Shields | Tyne & Wear | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,911 | 37.87 | 42,095 | 36.87 | 2.6% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 98 | 1.28 | 1,417 | 1.24 | 3.1% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 341 | 4.44 | 4,801 | 4.21 | 5% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,146 | 14.91 | 14,625 | 12.81 | 14% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 193 | 2.51 | 2,612 | 2.29 | 9% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 216 | 2.81 | 2,712 | 2.38 | 15% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 562 | 7.31 | 8,299 | 7.27 | 0.55% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 81 | 1.05 | 935 | 0.82 | 22% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,135 | 14.77 | 13,595 | 11.91 | 19% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 42 | 0.55 | 646 | 0.57 | 3.6% safer |
| Shoplifting | 328 | 4.27 | 6,502 | 5.69 | 33% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 44 | 0.57 | 804 | 0.70 | 23% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 441 | 5.74 | 5,113 | 4.48 | 22% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,368 | 43.82 | 42,504 | 37.23 | 15% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 4,779 | 71.59 | 45% safer |
| Tynemouth | 6,211 | 89.57 | 16% safer |
| South Shields | 7,995 | 104.02 | - |
| Gateshead | 12,834 | 104.98 | 0.91% more dangerous |
| Sunderland | 18,797 | 107.53 | 3.3% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Victoria Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Chichester Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near St Mark'S Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near Delaval Court | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Orchid Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Brunswick Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Lawrence Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Osprey Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near George Scott Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Dale Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Derby Terrace | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Redwell Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Auckland Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Cheviot Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Imeary Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Bedford Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Cornwallis Square | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Barbour Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near South Woodbine Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near John Clay Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 35 | 32 | 49 | 38 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Burglary | 5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 19 | 19 | 16 | 15 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 2.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 11 | 10 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.95 | 1.0 | Safer |
| Public Order | 19 | 18 | 15 | 15 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.36 | 0.59 | 0.56 | 0.55 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 7 | 4.7 | 4.3 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.2 | 0.99 | 0.57 | 0.57 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.8 | 4.9 | 3.4 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 45 | 47 | 42 | 44 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in South Shields that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleadon Park | 20 | 1 | 2 | - | 5 | 7 | 2.3 |
| King George V Playing Field | 8 | 2 | - | - | 5 | 3 | 18 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 55% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 26% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 16% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 15% safer |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 1.7% safer |
| South Shields | 104.02 | - |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 7% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 15% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 20% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 21% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 31% more dangerous |
South Shields West is the most dangerous neighbourhood in South Shields, followed by West Harton in second place, and Biddick Hill as the third most dangerous area. South Shields's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Harton East, Harton West, and Westoe.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biddick Hill | 662 | 92 | Third |
| Cleadon Park | 384 | 64 | Sixth |
| Harton East | 343 | 62 | Seventh |
| Harton West | 177 | 34 | Ninth |
| South Shields West | 1,968 | 238 | First |
| West Harton | 858 | 145 | Second |
| West Park | 495 | 90 | Fourth |
| Westoe | 396 | 61 | Eighth |
| Whiteleas | 556 | 82 | Fifth |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of South Shields for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Harton West (84) | South Shields West (715) |
| Bicycle Theft | Harton East (1) | South Shields West (37) |
| Burglary | Harton East (5) | South Shields West (91) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Harton West (18) | South Shields West (272) |
| Drugs | Cleadon Park (1) | South Shields West (68) |
| Other Crime | West Park (3) | West Harton (28) |
| Other Theft | Harton West (13) | South Shields West (143) |
| Possession of Weapons | Harton East (1) | South Shields West (24) |
| Public Order | Harton West (29) | South Shields West (300) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Harton East (1) | South Shields West (20) |
| Shoplifting | Cleadon Park (1) | South Shields West (143) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Biddick Hill (1) | South Shields West (22) |
| Vehicle Crime | Harton East (4) | Westoe (72) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Harton West (70) | South Shields West (748) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in South Shields change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in December, when South Shields saw a 644% increase in anti-social behaviour. South Shields saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 91% compared to April in 2019. Theft From the Person saw a fall in every month of South Shields's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -2% | +175% | +122% | +58% | -77% | +48% | +58% | +68% | +95% | +644% |
| Bicycle Theft | -56% | -73% | +150% | +150% | +25% | +11% | -58% | -20% | +80% | +25% |
| Burglary | -25% | -44% | -39% | -8% | -8% | +36% | -29% | +19% | +17% | -44% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -29% | -24% | -21% | -18% | -17% | +6% | +1% | -28% | -21% | -19% |
| Drugs | +133% | +18% | +13% | +29% | -9% | +47% | +6% | -13% | +343% | -6% |
| Other Crime | -14% | +11% | -38% | +57% | +24% | +75% | +67% | -4% | +77% | -20% |
| Other Theft | -28% | -49% | -11% | -37% | -38% | -4% | -31% | -66% | -24% | -25% |
| Possession of Weapons | -45% | +40% | -44% | -36% | -43% | +50% | -55% | +100% | -57% | -29% |
| Public Order | -21% | -13% | -49% | -31% | +1% | +2% | -17% | +6% | -3% | -8% |
| Robbery | -50% | - | - | +200% | -33% | -29% | -67% | +250% | - | +33% |
| Shoplifting | -53% | -79% | -63% | -55% | -55% | -30% | +44% | -18% | -21% | +46% |
| Theft From the Person | -50% | -91% | -67% | +80% | -80% | -25% | -17% | -67% | -33% | -86% |
| Vehicle Crime | -25% | -61% | -27% | -16% | -55% | -22% | -51% | -36% | +17% | +180% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -21% | -34% | -17% | -12% | +6% | -11% | -9% | -21% | +2% | -5% |
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