Shirley East

Christchurch City•Canterbury Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

7

–

Crime rate

143.4 per 1,000

Population 2,580

Total crimes (past 12 months)

370

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 10.2%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#38 / 331

Top 11%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Shirley East Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (78.9%), burglary (12.2%), and assault (8.1%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Shirley East is 143.411 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 38 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Nov 2025, Dec 2025, May 2026.

Crime activity peaked in November 2025, December 2025, and May 2026.

Shirley East crime statistics: common questions

Is Shirley East safe?

Shirley East recorded 370 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 143.4 per 1,000 residents across about 2,580 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 East?

The crime rate in Shirley East is 143.4 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 370 recorded offences across about 2,580 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 East?

The most common offence category in Shirley East is theft, with 292 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 79% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (45).

Is crime going up or down in Shirley East?

Recorded offences in Shirley East have fallen 10.2% 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 East compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Shirley East ranks 38 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 East only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Shirley East come from?

Figures for Shirley East, 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 East is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz