Horbury Crime Rate

Horbury presents a relatively stable safety profile within the Wakefield district. The overall crime rate stands at 88.5 per 1,000 people, which is comfortably below the UK national average of 91.7. With a safety score of 76/100, the area is considered safer than many comparable urban settlements, though it sits just below the UK average safety score of 79. Encouragingly, the latest data shows a decreasing trend, with a 10.0% reduction in total crime year-over-year. This downward trajectory suggests that Horbury is becoming increasingly secure for its 9,261 residents. The following analysis provides a deeper look into the specific types of crime and temporal patterns that define the local environment.

Crime in Horbury

Violence and sexual offences represent the most significant portion of local crime, accounting for 44.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is nearly half of all recorded activity. This is followed by public order offences and anti-social behaviour, which make up 11.0% and 8.1% of the total respectively. For residents, these figures suggest that while personal safety is a primary concern, the broader environment remains relatively stable compared to more urban centres.

Property-related crime in Horbury—which includes burglary, vehicle crime, theft, and criminal damage—sits at a rate of 21.7 per 1,000 people. Vehicle crime is the most prominent in this category, representing 5.8% of all offences, followed closely by other theft and criminal damage. Burglary rates are notably lower than the national average at 3.8 per 1,000. For homeowners, this indicates a moderate risk to physical property, necessitating standard security measures, though the area remains statistically safer for assets than many nearby regions.

Crime Trends in Horbury

The long-term trend for Horbury is encouraging, with total crime decreasing by 10.0% year-over-year. This suggests that local initiatives or changes in the community are successfully dampening criminal activity. However, a month-by-month look at the Dec 2024 to Nov 2025 period shows some volatility.

The year began with relatively low rates in January (6.7) and March (7.0), but saw a significant spike in the spring. May 2025 recorded the highest crime rate of the year at 10.0 per 1,000 residents, following a high of 9.3 in April. Following this peak, the rate steadily declined throughout the summer, reaching its lowest point of 5.6 in September 2025. This late-year improvement is a strong sign for the community, though the spring surge indicates that residents should remain vigilant during seasonal transitions when crime rates have historically fluctuated.

How To Keep Safe in Horbury

Violence and sexual offences are the most frequently recorded crime type in Horbury, accounting for nearly half of all local incidents. While these often involve people known to one another, maintaining personal safety awareness is always advisable.

• When walking alone, especially during the evening hours when 'other' crimes increase, stick to well-lit main roads and avoid shortcuts through unlit alleys or parks.
• Ensure your home's entry points are visible from the street; trim back high hedges that could provide cover for someone loitering near your property.
• If you are out enjoying Horbury's local amenities in the evening, try to travel in groups and use reputable local taxi services for the journey home.
• Be aware of your surroundings when using your mobile phone or wearing headphones, as high-value electronics can occasionally attract unwanted attention even in safer areas.
• Consider installing a smart doorbell or an AI-driven security system that can alert you to movement at your boundary before someone reaches your front door.

Analysis of crime timing in Horbury reveals distinct patterns for different offence types. Theft is most prevalent during the daylight hours, particularly in the morning (44%) and afternoon (48%), likely coinciding with retail and commercial activity. As the day progresses, the nature of crime shifts; vehicle crime becomes a significant concern at night, accounting for 45% of all offences between 12am and 6am.

Burglary risk is distributed throughout the day but peaks slightly during the afternoon and night (23% each), suggesting that offenders target homes both when residents are away at work and under the cover of darkness. Evening hours see a rise in 'other' crimes, which includes public order and anti-social behaviour, making up 38% of incidents during this period. For residents, this underscores the importance of daytime home security and overnight vehicle protection.

When comparing Horbury to its immediate neighbours, it occupies a middle ground in terms of safety. It is slightly more active than Crigglestone and Durkar, which sees 67.1 crimes per 1,000 people, and Netherton, which maintains a lower rate of 50.0. However, it remains comparable to Ossett, where the rate is 76.9. Notably, the very small settlement of Coxley reports zero crimes, though its tiny population makes it an outlier. For those looking at the region, Horbury offers a balanced profile—less busy than the major urban centres of Wakefield but with more activity than the surrounding rural villages.

Protecting your home in Horbury requires moving beyond traditional reactive measures. With a property crime rate of 21.7 per 1,000, the risk of burglary and vehicle theft is present, and standard CCTV often only provides footage of an event after it has occurred. This is where a proactive approach becomes essential. By implementing an AI-powered operating system like scOS, you shift the focus from recording a crime to preventing it.

scOS uses multi-camera intelligence to monitor your property boundaries continuously. It can distinguish between a delivery driver and a potential intruder, only alerting you to genuine threats. In the event of a trespasser, the system can autonomously trigger deterrents like lighting and speakers, destroying the element of surprise that burglars rely on. In an area like Horbury, where 45% of vehicle crime happens under the cover of darkness, having a system that never blinks and can verify vehicles via DVLA data provides a level of security that DIY cameras simply cannot match. Professional-grade protection signals to opportunists that your property is a hard target, encouraging them to move on.