Shap Crime Rate

Shap is an exceptionally safe and peaceful village located in the Eden district of Cumbria. The area currently maintains a very low overall crime rate of 31.7 per 1,000 people, which is significantly lower than the UK national average of 93.1. This high level of security is reflected in an outstanding safety score of 91/100, placing it among the safest settlements in the country. Furthermore, Shap is experiencing a major positive trend in safety, with crime decreasing by 30.5% year-over-year. This substantial reduction indicates that the village remains a very secure environment for its residents. The following sections provide a detailed breakdown of crime types, monthly trends, and localized safety advice to help you understand the safety profile of this rural community.

In Shap, violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type, accounting for 46.3% of all reported incidents. This is followed by drug-related offences at 14.6% and public order offences at 12.2%. While personal and public order crimes lead the statistics, property crime is exceptionally low. The overall property crime rate in Shap—which includes burglary, theft, and vehicle crime—is just 7.0 per 1,000 residents.

Notably, burglary and vehicle crime are very rare, each occurring at a rate of 1.6 and 0.8 per 1,000 residents respectively. For homeowners, this indicates that the risk of a serious break-in is statistically minimal. However, the presence of other theft and criminal damage suggests that basic property security and vigilance remain important to maintain the village's high safety standards and protect against any opportunist incidents.

The crime trend in Shap is exceptionally positive, with a year-over-year decrease of 30.5%. This indicates a major improvement in the village's safety. Monthly data for 2025 shows that crime rates remained consistently low throughout the year, with a peak of 5.4 per 1,000 people in April and a low of 1.6 in June and December. Most other months recorded rates between 2.3 and 3.9. This sustained overall reduction is an encouraging sign for Shap's residents and suggests that the village remains a very secure and stable location.

How To Keep Safe in Shap

The most common crime type in Shap is violence and sexual offences, making up 46.3% of reports. While the village is exceptionally safe, personal safety and property security should remain a priority.

1. When walking through the village or on local 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 the village's second most common property crime.
3. 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.
4. If you have a vehicle, ensure it is always locked and that no valuables are left on display, particularly if parked in more isolated locations.
5. Participate in local community watch schemes to stay informed about any suspicious vehicles or activity in this relatively quiet rural area.

Crime in Shap shows distinct temporal trends, particularly for property offences. Theft is most prevalent during the morning (67%) and afternoon (66%), suggesting opportunist activity during daylight hours. As the day transitions into the evening and night, the profile shifts significantly towards burglary, which rises to 32% in the evening and peaks at 38% at night. Vehicle crime also peaks at night, accounting for 30% of incidents during those hours. These patterns suggest that while daytime activity is primarily theft-related, the risk of more intrusive burglary and vehicle offences increases substantially after dark.

Shap's crime rate of 31.7 is significantly 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 Bolton, Clifton, Cliburn, and Temple Sowerby all recording crime rates of 0.0 per 1,000 people. This comparison highlights that Shap is part of a very secure cluster of villages in the Eden district. While it has a slightly higher rate than its immediate rural neighbours, it remains remarkably safe compared to both the district's larger towns and the UK average.

In Shap, the property crime rate is exceptionally low at 7.0 per 1,000 residents, which is among the lowest in the Eden district. However, the prevalence of burglary (1.6 per 1,000) and other theft (3.1 per 1,000) indicates that opportunist incidents can still occur. 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 loss of property.

For Shap residents seeking to maintain this high 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 village as safe as Shap, scOS provides the advanced technology needed to ensure your property remains a hard target and continues to be part of the area's excellent safety record.