Kirkby Stephen Crime Rate

Kirkby Stephen is a historic market town in the Eden district with a solid safety profile. The town currently maintains an overall crime rate of 77.2 per 1,000 people, which is notably lower than the UK national average of 93.1. This is reflected in a respectable safety score of 81/100, positioning it above the national average of 78. While the area has seen a year-over-year increase in crime of 24.4%, the overall levels remain low compared to many other UK towns. The following sections provide a detailed breakdown of crime types, monthly trends, and localized safety advice to help you understand the safety landscape of this community.

In Kirkby Stephen, violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type, accounting for 44.3% of all reported incidents. This is followed by public order offences at 12.4% and criminal damage and arson at 10.3%. While personal and public order crimes lead the statistics, property crime is a significant factor for the community. The overall property crime rate in Kirkby Stephen—including burglary, theft, shoplifting, and vehicle crime—is 27.9 per 1,000 residents.

Specifically, shoplifting and other theft are the most common property offences, each at a rate of 7.2 per 1,000 residents, while burglary and vehicle crime are relatively low at 2.4 and 3.2 per 1,000 respectively. For homeowners and local businesses, this suggests that while the risk of a serious break-in is statistically low, the prevalence of theft and criminal damage highlights the need for consistent property security and vigilance to protect against opportunist offences.

The crime trend in Kirkby Stephen shows a year-over-year increase of 24.4%. While this is an upward trend, the overall volume of crime remains lower than the UK average. Monthly data for 2025 shows that crime rates fluctuated between a low of 4.8 per 1,000 people in April and December and a peak of 9.6 in August. The August peak is common in Eden's towns due to the increase in visitors during the peak summer. Most other months recorded rates between 5.6 and 8.0. This recent increase highlights the importance of continued vigilance and community safety initiatives.

How To Keep Safe in Kirkby Stephen

The most common crime type in Kirkby Stephen is violence and sexual offences, making up 44.3% of reports. While the town is generally safe, personal safety and property security should remain a priority.

1. When walking in the town centre or on more isolated paths in the evening, stick to well-lit areas and carry a fully charged mobile phone.
2. Be vigilant with personal belongings and garden equipment to prevent opportunist 'other theft', which is one of the town's most common property crimes.
3. If you are a business owner, ensure your premises are well-secured and that you have visible security measures in place to deter shoplifting and criminal damage.
4. Ensure your home's exterior is well-illuminated and that all entry points are secured with high-quality locks to deter burglary, especially at night.
5. Participate in local community watch schemes to stay informed about any suspicious vehicles or activity in this historic market town area.

Crime in Kirkby Stephen shows distinct temporal trends, largely driven by theft and vehicle crime. Theft is most prevalent during the morning (47%) and afternoon (53%), coinciding with the town's business and visitor hours. As the day transitions into the evening and night, the profile shifts significantly. Night-time crime is dominated by vehicle crime, which accounts for 35% of reported incidents during those hours, and 'other' offences (38%). Burglary also reaches its highest proportional peak at night (16%). These patterns suggest that daytime activity is primarily theft-related, while nighttime risks are more focused on vehicle-related and social offences.

Kirkby Stephen's crime rate of 77.2 is lower than the district's larger towns, Penrith (97.8) and Appleby-in-Westmorland (79.8). It is surrounded by several exceptionally safe rural communities, with Brough and Hilton both recording crime rates of 0.0 per 1,000 people. Nearby Long Marton has a lower rate of 61.6. This comparison shows that while Kirkby Stephen, as a local centre, faces more crime than its immediate rural hinterland, it remains a very safe location compared to both the district's larger towns and the UK as a whole.

In Kirkby Stephen, the property crime rate is 27.9 per 1,000 residents, which is lower than the UK national average. However, the prevalence of shoplifting (7.2 per 1,000), other theft (7.2 per 1,000), and criminal damage (8.0 per 1,000) indicates that opportunist incidents are a factor. Traditional reactive security systems, like standard CCTV, often only provide evidence after a crime has been committed, which does little to prevent the initial intrusion or damage.

For Kirkby Stephen residents seeking the highest level of protection, a proactive AI-powered system like scOS is the recommended solution. scOS uses multi-camera intelligence to monitor your property's perimeter and detect threats before they reach your home. By identifying suspicious behaviour, it can trigger autonomous responses such as activating lights or audio warnings to deter potential intruders. This professional-grade deterrence is designed to stop a crime before it happens. In a town where crime has seen a recent increase, scOS provides the advanced technology needed to ensure your property remains safe and secure.