Shirley West

Christchurch CityCanterbury Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

8

Crime rate

169.5 per 1,000

Population 4,248

Total crimes (past 12 months)

720

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 5.2%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#35 / 331

Top 11%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Shirley West Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (83.2%) and burglary (10.7%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Shirley West is 169.492 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 35 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Jan 2026, Apr 2026, Jun 2026.

Crime activity peaked in January, April, and June 2026.

Shirley West crime statistics: common questions

Is Shirley West safe?

Shirley West recorded 720 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 169.5 per 1,000 residents across about 4,248 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Shirley West?

The crime rate in Shirley West is 169.5 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 720 recorded offences across about 4,248 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Shirley West?

The most common offence category in Shirley West is theft, with 599 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 83% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (77).

Is crime going up or down in Shirley West?

Recorded offences in Shirley West have fallen 5.2% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Shirley West compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Shirley West ranks 35 of 331 suburbs in Canterbury Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Shirley West only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Shirley West come from?

Figures for Shirley West, Christchurch City come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.

Looking for a plain-English safety summary?

👉 See how safe Shirley West is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz