Penrith Crime Rate

Penrith is the primary commercial and transport hub of the Eden district, which is reflected in its crime statistics. The town has an overall crime rate of 97.8 per 1,000 people, which is slightly above the UK national average of 93.1. Despite this, Penrith maintains a respectable safety score of 76/100. More importantly, the area is showing a significant positive trend, with crime decreasing by 9.4% year-over-year. This downward trajectory suggests that local safety measures are having a real impact. The following sections offer a detailed breakdown of crime types, monthly trends, and localized safety advice to help residents and visitors understand the safety profile of this historic market town.

In Penrith, the crime profile is led by violence and sexual offences, which account for 45.9% of all reported incidents. This is followed by shoplifting at 11.3% and public order offences at 8.9%. As a regional commercial hub, the high proportion of shoplifting is notable. The overall property crime rate in Penrith—including burglary, theft, shoplifting, and vehicle crime—is 27.2 per 1,000 people.

While this is lower than the UK average property crime rate of 32.9, it represents a significant portion of local activity. Burglary and vehicle crime are relatively infrequent at 1.4 and 0.6 per 1,000 residents respectively. For homeowners and business owners, this indicates that while the risk of serious intrusion is low, the prevalence of theft and shoplifting suggests that maintaining visible and effective security measures is essential to protect assets in this busy market town.

The crime trend in Penrith is currently very positive, with a year-over-year decrease of 9.4%. This indicates a consistent improvement in the town's safety. Monthly data for 2025 shows that crime rates fluctuated between a low of 6.5 per 1,000 people in September and a peak of 9.6 in August. The August peak is common in Eden's market towns due to the influx of tourists and summer events. Despite these seasonal variations, the overall trajectory for the year remains downward, with most months recording rates between 7.0 and 8.8. This sustained reduction is an encouraging sign for Penrith's residents and business community.

How To Keep Safe in Penrith

The highest crime type in Penrith is violence and sexual offences, accounting for 45.9% of reports. As the town is a commercial and social hub, personal safety in busy areas is a priority.

1. When using the town centre in the evening, stick to well-lit main streets and avoid less populated alleys or shortcuts.
2. Be vigilant with personal belongings in busy shopping areas or at the railway station, as shoplifting and other thefts are more common in these locations.
3. If you are a business owner, ensure your premises have clear sightlines and high-quality security systems to deter shoplifting, which is the town's second most common crime.
4. When parking your car, use well-lit, official car parks and ensure no valuables are left on display, even though vehicle crime is low.
5. Join or support local business and community watch schemes to stay informed about any emerging crime patterns in the town centre.

Crime in Penrith follows a pattern typical of a commercial centre. Theft offences, including shoplifting, are most prevalent during the morning (44%) and afternoon (47%), coinciding with peak business hours. As the day progresses into the evening and night, the crime profile shifts significantly towards 'other' crimes, which include public order and anti-social behaviour offences, rising to 72% in the evening and 65% at night. Burglary also shows a proportional increase at night, rising to 15% of the period's crime. These trends suggest that while daytime crime is largely retail-focused, the risk of social and intrusive property crime increases after dark.

As the main urban centre in Eden, Penrith's crime rate of 97.8 is naturally higher than its more rural neighbours. Nearby Stainton has a lower rate of 63.7, while areas like Newton Rigg, Sockbridge, and Clifton all recorded crime rates of 0.0 per 1,000 people. This comparison highlights that while Penrith faces the typical challenges of a busy town centre—such as higher rates of shoplifting and public order offences—it is surrounded by some of the safest rural communities in the country. For those who work in Penrith, these nearby villages offer an exceptionally secure residential alternative.

In Penrith, the property crime rate stands at 27.2 per 1,000 residents. As a busy market town, the risk of opportunist theft and shoplifting is higher than in the surrounding countryside. Traditional security systems, like standard CCTV, often only provide footage of a crime after it has occurred, which is of limited use in preventing the loss of property or the trauma of a break-in.

To truly secure your Penrith home or business, a proactive AI-powered system like scOS is the recommended solution. scOS doesn't just record; it detects threats at the property boundary before they escalate. By using multi-camera intelligence to identify suspicious behaviour, it can trigger autonomous responses such as activating lights or audio warnings to deter intruders. This professional-grade protection is designed to stop a criminal in their tracks. In an area where crime is trending downwards, scOS provides the advanced technology needed to ensure your property remains part of that positive statistic by preventing crime before it happens.