Scarborough and Whitby area continues to see highest crime levels in North Yorkshire
Crime levels remained high on the Yorkshire coast last year, with Scarborough seeing the highest relative levels in the county.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the Scarborough and Whitby area continued to see the highest relative rates of crime in North Yorkshire, with 82.44 crimes recorded for every 1,000 people.
In comparison, the number of crimes in Ryedale for every 1,000 people was 38.84, in York 74.02, and in Harrogate 47.62.
However, North Yorkshire Police highlighted that the figures related to the “static population” of the area and did not take into account the visiting population, which can quadruple in summer.
Officers added that if the number of visitors was taken into account, the figures for Scarborough “would be really low”.
The Scarborough and Whitby area saw a reduction in recorded crime across most categories, with some exceptions, such as shoplifting and possession of weapons.
While theft overall rose by only one crime last year, shoplifting rose from 850 to 957 recorded crimes, a 13 per cent increase.
However, NYP said it was likely that the increased reports of shop theft were likely due to increased confidence by retailers to report thefts as a result of some “intensive joint working with shops”.
In relation to weapons, they said that offences were detected as a result of proactivity by officers, including the use of powers such as stop and search.
NYP reported that in the past year there had also been several “excellent results from drugs warrants” including more than £1m worth of drugs that were recovered in Eastfield.
The Eastfield Neighbourhood Policing Team carried out Operation Resist for several months which resulted in eight drug warrants, eight further resultant searches, four substantial cannabis grows dismantled, 19 arrests, and two suspects charged and imprisoned.
Officers estimated that the drugs recovered in Eastfield were worth £1,016,000 and the set-up costs and equipment from the 'cannabis grows' were estimated to be £100,000.
According to the report, “[officers in] Whitby, not to be outdone have also been executing warrants and have recently seized £2,200 cash under the proceeds of crime legislation”.