Scholes (Leeds) Crime Rate

Scholes (Leeds) maintains an impressive safety profile with an overall crime rate of 45.7 per 1,000 people for the period ending November 2025. This figure is approximately 50% lower than the UK average of 91.7, contributing to a high safety score of 88/100. While the area is statistically very secure, the data indicates a recent upward trend, with crime increasing by 33.7% year-over-year. This growth suggests that while Scholes remains a low-crime environment compared to the national landscape, residents should remain vigilant to local changes. The following data provides a detailed breakdown of crime types, trends, and time-based patterns to help residents understand the safety dynamics of their neighbourhood.

In Scholes (Leeds), the most significant crime categories are violence and sexual offences, which account for 44.1% of all reported incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (13.4%) and public order offences (10.2%). While these figures represent the bulk of local reports, property-related crime also requires attention from residents.

The overall property crime rate in Scholes is 12.6 per 1,000 people. This encompasses burglary, which makes up 9.4% of total crime, other theft at 6.3%, and criminal damage and arson at 5.5%. Vehicle crime remains relatively low at 3.1%. For homeowners, this means that while the area is generally safe, there is a consistent underlying risk of opportunistic theft and property intrusion. Maintaining visible security measures and ensuring outbuildings are secure is essential to deterring these types of offences, which often fluctuate based on seasonal patterns and local opportunity.

The crime trend in Scholes is currently on an upward trajectory, with a significant 33.7% increase in total crimes compared to the previous year. Analysis of the monthly data from December 2024 to November 2025 shows a fluctuating but generally rising pattern. The year began with relatively low figures in January (2.2) and February (2.5), but saw a notable spike in July, where the rate reached 6.1 per 1,000 residents.

Following the summer peak, rates remained elevated through the autumn, with October recording a rate of 5.0. This increasing trend suggests that the area is experiencing more frequent criminal activity than in previous years. For residents, this means that even though Scholes remains a safe area by UK standards, the rising percentage change necessitates a more proactive approach to home and personal security than might have been required in the past. Monitoring these monthly shifts can help the community identify periods of higher risk and coordinate local safety efforts more effectively.

How To Keep Safe in Scholes (Leeds)

Violence and sexual offences are the most frequently reported crimes in Scholes, making up 44.1% of total incidents. While many of these incidents may occur in private settings, personal safety in public spaces remains a priority.

To enhance your personal safety, consider these actionable tips:

• When walking alone, especially after dark, stay in well-lit areas and keep your mobile phone accessible but not as a distraction.
• Utilise personal safety apps that allow you to share your live location with trusted friends or family members when travelling.
• Be aware of your surroundings in quieter residential areas; if you feel uncomfortable, head towards more populated areas or well-lit main roads.
• Ensure your home's entry points are well-lit with motion-activated lighting to discourage anyone from approaching your property uninvited.
• Report any suspicious behaviour or persistent anti-social behaviour to the local police early to help prevent escalation.

Crime in Scholes exhibits distinct temporal patterns, particularly concerning property-related offences. During the morning and afternoon hours, theft-related crimes are more prevalent, likely coinciding with periods when residents are away from home or retail activity is higher. As the day progresses into the evening and night, the nature of crime shifts.

The night-time period (12am - 6am) is particularly notable for burglary and vehicle crime, which together account for 69% of all incidents during these hours. This suggests that criminals are targeting unattended properties and vehicles under the cover of darkness. Evening hours also see a rise in "other" crimes, including public order and anti-social behaviour, often linked to social activity. Understanding these windows of vulnerability allows residents to better time their security measures, such as ensuring all vehicles are garaged or behind secure gates overnight.

When comparing Scholes to its immediate neighbours, it sits in the middle of a very safe cluster of villages. Barwick in Elmet is the safest nearby area with a rate of 28.8 per 1,000, followed by Shadwell at 36.5. Thorner (40.4) and Scarcroft (44.9) are very similar to Scholes (45.7) in terms of overall crime volume. All these areas represent some of the safest residential pockets within the Leeds local authority, offering a stark contrast to the higher crime rates found in more urbanised parts of the city. Residents in this region generally experience a high standard of public safety and low levels of property-related offences.

With a property crime rate of 12.6 per 1,000 people, residents of Scholes should consider the limitations of traditional security. Most standard CCTV systems are reactive; they provide footage of a crime after it has occurred, which often does little to prevent the initial intrusion. In an area where burglary accounts for nearly 10% of all crime, proactive protection is a more effective strategy.

scOS offers an AI-powered alternative that focuses on prevention. By using multi-camera intelligence to monitor property boundaries in real-time, scOS can detect a potential intruder the moment they step onto your land. The system uses autonomous responses—such as activating lights and speakers—to destroy the element of surprise that burglars rely on. This proactive approach is designed to make criminals move on before they ever reach your door. For Scholes homeowners, investing in a system that intervenes in real-time provides a level of security that traditional recording-only devices simply cannot match.