Neighbourhood crime “eroding community safety” as Crimestoppers urges public to speak up anonymously
Crimestoppers is launching a new campaign to highlight the growing impact of neighbourhood crime across the UK and empower people to share information anonymously to help protect communities.
From burglary and robbery to shoplifting and phone theft, neighbourhood crime is reshaping everyday life, affecting people’s sense of safety at home, their confidence on their streets and trust in local high streets and public spaces.
Latest figures show the scale of the issue with more than 509,000 shoplifting offences, 224,000 burglaries, and 129,000 thefts from the person recorded across the UK.
In addition, there were an estimated 590,000 incidents of retail violence and abuse, alongside 950,000 cases of verbal abuse in convenience stores*.
These are not just statistics, they represent real people experiencing fear, disruption, and lasting emotional impact.
Neighbourhood crime can have long-term consequences. Burglaries can damage a person’s sense of security in their own home. Robberies and phone theft can change how people travel, socialise and go about daily life. Retail crime continues to affect local businesses, workers and the overall confidence of many communities.
Despite this, many incidents go unreported. People may fear retaliation, not want direct involvement with police, or feel that speaking up will not make a difference. This silence can leave the door open for organised crime and criminal activity to continue, leaving communities feeling unsafe.
Crimestoppers is encouraging people to break this cycle by sharing what they know safely and anonymously.
Mick Duthie, Director of Operations from the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Neighbourhood crimes have the effect of eroding community safety which is why information we receive anonymously and pass on can help to keep us safe.
“We know that many people want to speak up but feel unable to. That’s why our charity exists. We provide a safe, trusted way for anyone to share information about crime completely anonymously.
“You don’t need proof, and you don’t need to give your name. Even a small piece of information can make a big difference in helping to protect others.”
Crimestoppers guarantees 100% anonymity. No information provided can be traced back to the individual to makes contact.
If a crime is happening now, always call 999.
