Crime in Sheffield decreased by 3.1% between January and December 2024 and the same period in 2025. The Police.uk street-level dataset analysed for this report contained 65,433 incidents in 2025, down from 67,526 in 2024, although anti-social behaviour, robbery, and violence and sexual offences increased.
The figures show substantial reductions in burglary, other theft and vehicle crime. At the same time, anti-social behaviour, robbery and violence and sexual offences all increased.
Key Point
Sheffield recorded 65,433 street-level crime and anti-social behaviour incidents in 2025, down 3.1% from 67,526 in 2024. Burglary produced the largest reduction, while anti-social behaviour recorded the biggest numerical increase.
What Area Does the Sheffield Crime Data Cover?
This comparison uses monthly South Yorkshire Police street-level crime files for January to December 2024 and January to December 2025.
Records were selected where the Lower Layer Super Output Area, or LSOA, name began with “Sheffield”. The same filtering method was applied to both years, creating a consistent year-on-year comparison across 343 Sheffield LSOAs.
The figures should not be interpreted as an exact total of every offence committed within Sheffield’s administrative boundary. Police.uk data is published at street level, grouped by police force and LSOA, and crime locations are anonymised before publication. The mapped location therefore represents an approximate point rather than the exact place where an incident occurred.
How Much Crime Was Recorded in Sheffield?
A total of 65,433 incidents appeared in the Sheffield dataset during 2025.
That was:
- 2,093 fewer incidents than in 2024
- an overall reduction of 3.1%
- approximately 5,453 incidents per month
- approximately 1,255 incidents per seven-day period
- approximately 179 incidents per day
In 2024, the equivalent dataset contained 67,526 incidents, averaging approximately 185 incidents per day.
Although the annual total decreased, the reduction was not distributed evenly across every category. Six categories increased, while eight recorded a decrease.
Sheffield Crime Statistics: 2024 Compared With 2025
| Crime category | 2024 | 2025 | Numerical change | Percentage change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 20,472 | 20,800 | +328 | +1.6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 10,159 | 10,959 | +800 | +7.9% |
| Shoplifting | 6,846 | 6,246 | -600 | -8.8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5,331 | 5,109 | -222 | -4.2% |
| Public order | 5,277 | 4,960 | -317 | -6.0% |
| Vehicle crime | 4,682 | 4,245 | -437 | -9.3% |
| Other theft | 3,863 | 3,319 | -544 | -14.1% |
| Burglary | 4,219 | 2,896 | -1,323 | -31.4% |
| Drugs | 2,308 | 2,367 | +59 | +2.6% |
| Other crime | 1,776 | 1,881 | +105 | +5.9% |
| Robbery | 707 | 812 | +105 | +14.9% |
| Possession of weapons | 813 | 809 | -4 | -0.5% |
| Theft from the person | 659 | 599 | -60 | -9.1% |
| Bicycle theft | 414 | 431 | +17 | +4.1% |
| Total | 67,526 | 65,433 | -2,093 | -3.1% |
Did Recorded Crime in Sheffield Increase or Decrease?
The total number of records decreased by 3.1% between 2024 and 2025.
However, the headline reduction does not mean that every type of crime became less common. The overall decline was strongly influenced by a sharp fall in burglary, together with lower figures for shoplifting, other theft, vehicle crime, public order offences and criminal damage and arson.
Without the reduction in burglary alone, the overall year-on-year movement would have been considerably smaller.
At the same time, anti-social behaviour increased by 800 incidents, the largest numerical rise of any category. Violence and sexual offences also increased and remained the largest category in the dataset.
The figures therefore indicate a change in the composition of recorded incidents, rather than a uniform improvement across Sheffield.
Violence and Sexual Offences Remained the Largest Category
Violence and sexual offences accounted for 20,800 records in 2025, compared with 20,472 in 2024.
This represented:
- an increase of 328 incidents
- a year-on-year rise of 1.6%
- approximately 31.8% of all records in the 2025 Sheffield dataset
This Police.uk category covers a broad range of offences. The total cannot be used to determine how many incidents occurred in public spaces, homes, workplaces or commercial premises without more detailed offence and location data.
Its importance lies primarily in its scale. Almost one in three records included in the Sheffield dataset fell within this category.
Anti-Social Behaviour Recorded the Biggest Numerical Increase
Anti-social behaviour increased from 10,159 incidents in 2024 to 10,959 in 2025.
That was an increase of:
- 800 incidents
- 7.9% year on year
- approximately 67 additional reports per month
Anti-social behaviour was the second-largest category in Sheffield during 2025 and produced the largest numerical increase.
For commercial property operators, anti-social behaviour can be relevant when it involves repeated congregation, nuisance, intimidation, unauthorised access or persistent activity around entrances, car parks and vacant buildings. However, the city-wide data does not identify how many reports affected businesses or privately managed sites.
Robbery Had the Largest Percentage Increase
Robbery increased from 707 incidents in 2024 to 812 in 2025.
This was a rise of 105 incidents, equivalent to 14.9%, making robbery the category with the largest percentage increase.
The proportional rise is notable, but the scale should remain in context. Robbery accounted for approximately 1.2% of all incidents included in the 2025 dataset and remained much smaller than violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour or shoplifting.
Looking only at percentage change can exaggerate the apparent significance of movement in lower-volume categories. Both the percentage and the numerical difference should therefore be considered.
Burglary Recorded the Largest Reduction
Burglary showed the most substantial decline in the Sheffield figures.
The total decreased from 4,219 incidents in 2024 to 2,896 in 2025, representing:
- 1,323 fewer incidents
- a reduction of 31.4%
- approximately 110 fewer incidents per month
This was both the largest numerical decrease and the largest percentage decrease among the main categories.
The reduction is significant, but it does not establish how burglary risk changed for individual neighbourhoods, construction sites, warehouses, vacant properties or other commercial locations. City-wide figures can conceal substantial differences between specific areas and property types.
A site’s actual exposure still depends on its location, perimeter, access points, occupancy, stored assets, surrounding activity and the speed at which suspicious behaviour can be detected.
Theft-Related Categories Also Declined
Several theft-related categories recorded lower totals in 2025.
Shoplifting decreased from 6,846 to 6,246 incidents, a reduction of 8.8%.
Other theft fell from 3,863 to 3,319 incidents, a reduction of 14.1%.
Theft from the person decreased from 659 to 599 incidents, a reduction of 9.1%.
Bicycle theft moved in the opposite direction, increasing slightly from 414 to 431 incidents.
These categories describe different offending circumstances and should not be treated as one type of risk. Shoplifting primarily concerns retail environments, while other theft can include incidents affecting a wider range of locations and property.
Vehicle Crime Fell by 9.3%
Vehicle crime decreased from 4,682 incidents in 2024 to 4,245 in 2025.
That represented:
- 437 fewer incidents
- a reduction of 9.3%
- an average of approximately 354 incidents per month during 2025
The reduction is positive, but the remaining volume is still operationally relevant for sites containing staff vehicles, commercial fleets, machinery, plant, fuel or unattended parking areas.
Vehicle crime risk is rarely determined by city-wide totals alone. Lighting, access control, perimeter condition, natural surveillance and the length of time vehicles remain unattended can all affect exposure at a specific location.
Criminal Damage, Public Order and Weapons Offences
Criminal damage and arson decreased by 4.2%, falling from 5,331 incidents to 5,109.
Public order offences fell more noticeably, decreasing from 5,277 to 4,960, a reduction of 6.0%.
Possession of weapons remained almost unchanged. The category decreased from 813 incidents to 809, a difference of only four records.
These figures reinforce the mixed nature of the annual comparison. Some high-volume categories declined, while other categories remained stable or increased.
Which Months Recorded the Most Crime in Sheffield?
The highest monthly total in 2025 was recorded in July, when the Sheffield dataset contained 5,952 incidents.
The lowest total was recorded in February, with 4,869 incidents.
Monthly totals during 2025 were:
| Month | Recorded incidents |
|---|---|
| January | 5,077 |
| February | 4,869 |
| March | 5,688 |
| April | 5,634 |
| May | 5,599 |
| June | 5,509 |
| July | 5,952 |
| August | 5,555 |
| September | 5,406 |
| October | 5,795 |
| November | 5,290 |
| December | 5,059 |
Monthly variation does not necessarily establish a seasonal pattern. A longer period would be required to determine whether particular increases consistently occur at the same time each year.
What Could the Figures Mean for Sheffield Businesses?
The overall 3.1% reduction should not be interpreted as evidence that every Sheffield business or site became safer during 2025.
The city-wide figures show that:
- more than 65,000 incidents were still included in the dataset
- anti-social behaviour increased by 7.9%
- criminal damage and arson remained above 5,000 incidents
- vehicle crime remained above 4,200 incidents
- burglary fell substantially but still accounted for almost 2,900 records
For businesses, the practical question is not only whether recorded crime increased or decreased across Sheffield. It is whether a particular site presents an attractive and accessible opportunity when it is closed, lightly occupied or difficult to monitor.
Construction projects, storage yards, industrial premises, warehouses and vacant buildings may hold valuable materials or provide secluded spaces even when the wider city trend is improving.
Passive Security and Active Site Control
Passive security measures such as fencing, locks, alarms, CCTV, lighting and access systems can delay entry, create evidence and alert a monitoring centre.
Their effectiveness depends on correct installation, maintenance, monitoring and a suitable response when activity is detected.
Active security adds a visible human presence capable of conducting patrols, checking vulnerable areas, assessing suspicious activity and escalating incidents. On exposed sites, this can complement rather than replace passive measures.
A security dog handler service may be considered where the site requires visible patrols across a large perimeter, early identification of unauthorised activity or an active presence during periods when the premises are otherwise unoccupied.
The correct arrangement should follow a site-specific risk assessment rather than a city-wide statistic alone.
When Might a Sheffield Site Require Additional Security Cover?
Additional cover may be appropriate when:
- a site has already experienced theft, trespass or vandalism
- the perimeter is incomplete, damaged or difficult to observe
- valuable plant, equipment, fuel or materials remain on site
- CCTV has significant blind spots or depends on a delayed response
- buildings are vacant or awaiting redevelopment
- access points cannot be adequately controlled outside operating hours
- the premises border public footpaths, open land or residential areas
- incidents increase during nights, weekends or shutdown periods
A construction project may require dedicated construction site security where unfinished boundaries and changing access arrangements create additional exposure.
Similarly, an unoccupied building may require vacant property security when repeated entry, internal damage or unsafe occupation has already become a concern.
Data Source and Methodology
The analysis uses Police.uk street-level crime and anti-social behaviour CSV files supplied by South Yorkshire Police for:
- January to December 2024
- January to December 2025
Records were included where the published LSOA name began with “Sheffield”. The same filter was applied to all 24 monthly files.
The totals include the Police.uk categories shown in the comparison table. Percentage changes were calculated by comparing the 2025 total with the corresponding 2024 figure.
Police.uk explains that its downloadable CSV files provide street-level information by police force and LSOA. Locations are anonymised, and published coordinates indicate an approximate location rather than the precise point of an incident.
These figures are useful for identifying broad changes in recorded incidents. They do not measure unreported crime, prove why a category changed or show the individual risk affecting a specific property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many crimes were recorded in Sheffield in 2025?
The Sheffield dataset contained 65,433 street-level crime and anti-social behaviour records during 2025.
Did crime in Sheffield increase in 2025?
The overall total decreased by 3.1%, falling from 67,526 records in 2024 to 65,433 in 2025.
What was the most commonly recorded crime in Sheffield?
Violence and sexual offences was the largest category, with 20,800 records in 2025.
Which crime increased the most in Sheffield?
Anti-social behaviour recorded the largest numerical increase, rising by 800 incidents. Robbery had the largest percentage increase at 14.9%.
Which crime decreased the most in Sheffield?
Burglary recorded the largest reduction, falling by 1,323 incidents or 31.4%.
How much vehicle crime was recorded in Sheffield?
The dataset contained 4,245 vehicle crime records in 2025, down from 4,682 in 2024.
Are Police.uk crime locations exact?
No. Police.uk anonymises published locations, so map coordinates represent an approximate location rather than the precise place where an incident occurred.
Do lower city-wide crime figures mean an individual site needs less security?
Not necessarily. Individual risk depends on the site’s location, occupancy, perimeter, access, stored assets, previous incidents and existing security arrangements.