Criminal activity is an unavoidable truth wherever you opt to live. No area of the UK – or indeed the world – is free from crime, and for some, it’s a make or break factor when choosing where to lay down roots, or establish a business.
That’s the driving force behind our transparent and objective approach to crime statistic reporting. We’ve consistently offered our readers unbiased views at their local and wider areas, ranging from our deep dive into England and Wales’ worst areas, right through to the most dangerous parts of the West Midlands.
With our latest piece, we’ll be looking at the opposite side of the country, and exploring the very worst that the East Midlands has to offer. We’ll dive into what makes those regions such an unattractive prospect, as well as the crucial statistics that dominate headlines across this swathe of England’s countryside.
A beacon for England’s contributions towards the industrial era, the East Midlands juxtaposing the jutting heights of the Peak District against the more modern backdrop of the man-made summits that characterise the skylines of cities like Leicester, Nottingham and Derby.
It’s that geographical diversity, coupled with its keen sense of heritage, that makes the East Midlands such a promising prospect. However, undercutting all of that is the region’s overall crime rate, which sits at 83.5 crimes per 1000 people living in the area.
Of the 413,572 offences we saw in the last year of data alone, there’s several points that are sure to trigger alarm bells for those considering the area. Chief among these is the rate of violent crime (159,534 offences), which accounts for almost 40% of all crime across the area.
That comes in addition to equally concerning figures across theft (123,834 incidents), criminal damage (41,374 incidents) and public order offences (40,013 incidents), all of which are remained consistently high across the full spectrum of data.
Of course, those are just the major figures, and there’s mounting concern surrounding other offence types that have become much more prevalent over the last year. Shoplifting (38,325 offences) alone has risen by a staggering 34% over the course of the last year alone, and signs point towards that trend only continuing in the future.
That’s not to say that every area faces the same challenges, however. Our deep vie has uncovered the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands, and what those statistics might mean for those seeking to make their home in this corner of the British Isles.
We’ve crunched the figures and discovered some shock inclusions in the East Midlands’ most dangerous regions, including several popular seaside resorts in amongst some of the area’s major towns and cities.
Heading up our rankings of the most dangerous areas in the East Midlands is Lincolnshire’s Grantham, an industrious and well-established town that’s brought starkly into a modern light with its crime rate of 106.7 crimes per 1000 residents. There’s substantial concerns around the rates of violent crime (1,595 offences), antisocial behaviour (818 offences) and shoplifting (552 offences).
A seamless blend of industry and bustling market-town life, Kettering is very much an area of two halves. What both sections do share, however, is a soaring crime rate which currently sits at 107.8 crimes per 1000 residents. That’s predominantly made up by soaring numbers of violent crimes (2,967 incidents), alongside equally worrying numbers in antisocial behaviour (1,092 incidents) and shoplifting (534 incidents).
Famed for its towering castle and period architecture that feeds into the town’s quaint feel, Bolsover’s overall crime rate of 108.9 crimes per 1000 residents offers an unwelcome counterbalance to that. There’s mounting concerns surround the rates of violent crime (593 incidents), antisocial behaviour (273 incidents) and public order offences (157 incidents).
An oft-forgotten corner of Nottinghamshire, the town of Hucknall has seen rapid expansion and development in recent years in a bid to restore its historic popularity. There’s a catch, however. A crime rate of 110.5 crimes per 1000 residents, and high numbers across violent crime (1138 incidents), shoplifting (790 incidents) and antisocial behaviour (640 incidents) all underscore the issues facing Hucknall in 2024.
Famed for its musical contributions thanks to its prized brass band, as well as its swathes of green areas, Long Eaton’s crime rate may come as a surprise, especially sitting as high as 110.5 crimes per 1,000 residents. Violent crime (1,416 incidents) is the most pressing concern, accounting for around 1 in every 3 offences, with shoplifting (737 offences) and antisocial behaviour (601 offences) following closely behind.
An up-and-coming area of Northamptonshire, and nestled on the northern banks of the River Nene, Wellingborough’s popularity and idyllic locale don’t stop it from seeing a shocking crime rate of 110.6 crimes per 1000 residents. There’s mounting concerns around the figures we’re seeing in violent crime (2,842 incidents), antisocial behaviour (1,116 incidents) and shoplifting (496 incidents).
Perched upon the banks of the River Ryton, the market town of Worksop has carefully cultivated a strong local economy, but with that comes a less-desirable crime rate, which currently sits at 112.6 crimes per 1000 residents. There’s numerous contributors towards those issues, with high numbers in violent crime (1,611 incidents), shoplifting (931 incidents) and antisocial behaviour (913 incidents).
One of Nottinghamshire’s most infamous market towns, and one of the county’s most historic, Mansfield’s overall crime rate of 112.8 offences per 1000 residents belies that long-standing reputation. There’s substantial concern arising from the soaring figures in theft (4,428 offences), violent crime (4,302 offences) and criminal damage (1,298 offences), all of which have witnessed year-on-year rises.
Perched upon the fringes of its much larger cousin, Mansfield Woodhouse shares a very similar crime rate, sitting at an alarming 113.4 crimes per 1000 residents. The main concerns for residents arise from startling figures across violent crime (766 incidents), antisocial behaviour (297 incidents) and shoplifting (218 incidents).
A beacon of culture, sport and history across the East Midlands, and the namesake of its county Derbyshire, it’s no doubt disheartening to see such a prominent city feature as part of the East Midlands’ most dangerous areas.
An overall crime rate of 117.6 crimes per 1000 residents, along with high numbers in violent crime (12,439 incidents), theft (8,473 incidents) and public order offences (3,841 incidents), mean the city more than warrants its spot.
One of Derbyshire’s many historic mining towns, Swadlincote bears marks of its past in its geography, but is far more modern in its crime rate, which sits at a dizzying 120.9 crimes per 1000 residents. A closer look reveals climbing figures across violent crime (1,617 incidents), antisocial behaviour (690 incidents) and public order offences (420 incidents).
Infamous for its role in the arts and culture scene that epitomises Lincolnshire, it’ll no doubt come as a surprise to see Sleaford feature in the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands. High figures across violent crime (785 offences), antisocial behaviour (415 offences) and shoplifting (243 offences) are the main contributors towards the town’s overall crime rate of 121.3 crimes per 1000 residents.
A major city and namesake of its county Nottinghamshire, and cemented into legend as the home of Robin Hood, Nottingham’s inclusion so highly on this list is disheartening.
However, high rates of theft (14,008 offences), violent crime (13,401 offences), and criminal damage (3,843 offences) – alongside the city’s alarming overall crime rate of 126.5 crimes per 1000 residents – all ensure that Nottingham warrants its place as part of the most dangerous areas in the East Midlands.
One of the UK’s most rapidly expanding cities, and a bastion for culture, sports and business across the region, Leicester’s popularity and size means its inclusion in the list of the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands may not be a surprise. Its crime rate of 126.6 crimes per 1000 residents, and soaring numbers in violent crime (17,290 incidents), theft (12,416 incidents) and public order offences (5,992 incidents), however, may be far more shocking.
One of the greener inclusions in our rankings of the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands, Heanor’s rurality doesn’t stop it seeing an overall crime rate of 127.5 crimes per 1000 residents. Digging deeper, we uncover substantial figures across violent crime (705 offences), antisocial behaviour (555 offences) and criminal damage (218 offences).
The subject of much regeneration across the Derbyshire area, Shirebrook is – in spite of its almost fairytale name – still one of the East Midlands’ most dangerous areas, with an overall crime rate of 128.2 crimes per 1000 residents. Digging deeper, we uncover high numbers across violent crime (641 offences), antisocial behaviour (286 offences) and criminal damage (121 offences).
Sealing the ninth spot among the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands is one of its most famous cities – Lincoln. Its overarching crime rate of 130 crimes per 1000 residents only tells a partial story for the cathedral city, with high figures in violent crime (4,944 offences), theft (4,428 offences) and criminal damage (1,347 offences) painting a distasteful picture.
A sporting heavyweight of the East Midlands, Scunthorpe’s issues have unfortunately become more pressing in recent years, with its market shrinking and crime rate increasing to a startling 134.6 crimes per 1000 resident. Huge concerns have begun to arise around the worrying numbers in violent crime (4,123 incidents), antisocial behaviour (1,089 incidents) and shoplifting (754 incidents).
Despite a quality of life survey back in 2020 placing Newark-on-Trent as a highly desirable locale, the more recent figures we’ve uncovered place the market town as one the East Midlands’ most dangerous areas with 135.8 crimes per 1000 residents. A closer look finds soaring numbers in violent crimes (1,250 offences), shoplifting (740 offences) and antisocial behaviour (627 offences).
A coastal hideaway on the northernmost reaches of the East Midlands, Cleethorpes’ sentimental value is often overshadowed by the town’s overwhelming crime rate of 137.5 crimes per 1000 residents. The rose-tinted spectacles lose their lustre in the face of high rates of violent crime (1,891 incidents), public order offences (426 incidents) and criminal damage (411 incidents).
Ilkeston’s reputation for criminal activity (and by extension its crime rate of 147 crimes per 1000 residents) sullies what’s often a beautiful and highly sought-after location. However, there’s multiple contributors towards that reputation, with violent crime (1,950 incidents), antisocial behaviour (920 incidents) and criminal damage (416 incidents) all making headlines.
A market town with a keen grounding in religion thanks to its myriad churches and religious buildings, there’s a distinctly less wholesome air to its criminal activity, with the crime rate for Sutton-in-Ashfield sitting at 150.7 crimes per 1000 residents. Violent crime (1857 offences), antisocial behaviour (748 offences) and shoplifting (629 offences) are just the tip of the iceberg.
One of the country’s most instantly recognisable port towns also happens to be one of the most dangerous places across the whole of the East Midlands. Its overall crime rate of 175.9 crimes per 1000 residents only tells a partial, unpleasant story, with soaring numbers of violent crimes (5,030 incidents), criminal damage offences (1,321 incidents) and public order offences (1,232 incidents) completing the grim tale of Grimsby.
Most renowned as one of England’s furthest-inland ports, the town of Gainsborough is rapidly building a secondary reputation for its issues with crime, with an overall rate sitting at an alarming 188.9 crimes per 1000 residents. Violent crime (1,322 offences), antisocial behaviour (653 offences) and shoplifting (513 offences) represent just three of a myriad concerns for safety in Gainsborough.
Officially the most dangerous area of the East Midlands, and statistically among the most hazardous areas of the UK as a whole, the iconic seaside getaway Skegness has fallen upon difficult times. Crime is a leading factor in all of that, with the town’s overall crime rate of 212.4 crimes per 1000 residents acting as a major red flag for anyone considering a coastal escape.
A deeper dive uncovers issues across the board. Violent crimes (1,596 incidents) are the most prevalent issue, with antisocial behaviour (899 incidents), shoplifting (386 incidents) and criminal damage (323 incidents) also representing some of the pressing concerns for Skegness’ residents and visitors.
As daunting as the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands may make the region seem, it’s not all doom and gloom for this corner of the British Isles. In fact, the most recent batch of crime data shows that criminal activity has fallen by 1% when compared with last year’s figures (413,572 offences in 2023, compared with 416,429 offences in 2022).
It’s not the only upward trend, either. Bicycle theft fell by a notable 12% (4,787 offences, down from 5,429) – the largest positive difference between the two years.
There were equally noticeable decreases across criminal damage (41,374 incidents, down by 7% from 44,273), public order offences (40,013 incidents, down by 6% from 42,357), and burglary (19,837 incidents, down by 4% from 20,762).
Sadly though, that’s where the positive news for the East Midlands dries up somewhat, and the negative trends start to come to the fore. That’s especially true for shoplifting, which saw an eye-watering 34% increase over last year’s statistics, going from 28,575 offences in 2022 to a shocking 38,325 offences for 2023.
There’s other substantial increases too, and they’re perhaps symptomatic of the issues facing the East Midlands going forwards. Drug crimes (13,641 offences, up from 12,570) saw a 7% rise, weapon possession (5,021 offences, up from 4,742) shot up by 6%, and robbery (3,827 offences, up from 3,683) climbed by 5%.
Across the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands, and indeed the region as a whole, the trends across weapon possession are very much a tale of two halves. Knife crime saw a distinctly positive trend, with the total number of offences falling by 3% (3,394 offences, down from 3,495).
Gun crime, however, saw a shocking rise of 9%. Over the course of 2023, there were 44 more gun crimes (558 offences) than the same period of 2022 (514 offences), and an estimated 1 in every 11 incidents of gun crime across the UK occurs in the East Midlands.
In order to ensure complete clarity and objectivity in the crime statistics we report, we take our data directly from the UK Police Data repository. We then use the latest ONS Census data, which allows us to give our crime rates as a rate of the number of crimes per 1,000 people living in that area.
Expressing our data in that way not only allows for it to be much more digestible and easy-to-understand for our readers, it also means we can take into account key variables like population and area size without giving misleading information.
As much as we endeavour to represent the most dangerous areas of the East Midlands fairly across our rankings, we also understand that many people can feel unsafe or worried wherever they live. That’s especially true in some of the larger cities and towns, which face a complex battle against crime.
We’ve outlined a few of those key regions of the East Midlands below, as well as where they’d rank on a wider list.
Overall Crime Rate Of 106 Crimes Per 1000 People
Overall Crime Rate Of 104.2 Crimes Per 1000 People
Overall Crime Rate Of 103.5 Crimes Per 1000 People
Overall Crime Rate Of 101.4 Crimes Per 1000 People
Overall Crime Rate Of 95.6 Crimes Per 1000 People
Overall Crime Rate Of 59.4 Crimes Per 1000 People
