ONS Figures Show Theft Offences in Cumbria Amid National Crime Trends

Recent crime data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shines a light on trends in theft offences in Cumbria as well as nationally.
According to the latest ONS figures, theft offences remain a significant category of recorded crime in England and Wales, with the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimating millions of theft incidents in the year ending December 2024. Nationally, police-recorded theft and related offences saw figures aligned with longer-term trends, with some increases in specific types such as shoplifting contributing to overall numbers.
In Cumbria, local policing data supports these wider patterns. Latest reporting shows that theft, burglary and related neighbourhood crimes have generally decreased in recent years, with neighbourhood offences, which include vehicle theft, burglary and robbery, down by around 3.2 per cent compared with the previous year.
Cumbria Constabulary’s own performance figures for the year to March 2025 also indicate a modest fall in theft offences, with recorded theft offences reducing slightly compared with the previous period, even as some other types of crime such as drug offences and violence against the person increased.
Despite these local decreases in recorded theft incidents, the ONS data suggests that shop theft remains a major driver of theft trends nationally, with figures showing significant rises in shoplifting offences recorded by police over recent years.
Police and community safety officials say that understanding these statistics helps in targeting resources effectively, tackling crime where it most affects residents and ensuring that prevention strategies are up to date.
Local officers continue to encourage residents and businesses to remain vigilant, report suspicious activity and make use of crime-prevention advice to reduce opportunities for theft across the county.