Crap Towns / Kirkwall / Crime

How much crime is there in Kirkwall?

The police recorded 34.6 crimes per 1,000 people a year in Kirkwall from January 2023 to December 2025, 36% lower than the typical Scottish town's 54.4. The most common was violence and sexual offences, at 12.1. In the 12 months to December 2025 it was 37.8, up from 33.0 in the 12 months to December 2023.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical Scottish town
January 2023 to December 2023	33.0	53.2
January 2024 to December 2024	33.1	52.2
January 2025 to December 2025	37.8	55.9

**By type**
Crime	Here	Typical Scottish town
Violence and sexual offences	12.1	15.1
Criminal damage and arson	5.8	7.2
Drugs	5.2	3.9
Other crime	3.6	8.0
Shoplifting	2.8	6.8
Other theft	2.1	4.3
Possession of weapons	0.9	2.0
Burglary	0.8	1.8
Vehicle crime	0.8	1.6
Bicycle theft	0.5	0.2
Robbery	less than 0.1	0.3
Public order	–	–
Theft from the person	–	–

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Crimes per 1,000 people a year
Fraserburgh	154.5 km	70.9
Elgin	150.1 km	67.3
Alness	162.1 km	59.3
Buckie	145.7 km	50.5
Lerwick	165.5 km	44.3
Nairn	164.8 km	37.2
Wick	59.9 km	35.8
Thurso	54.4 km	35.7
Kirkwall	–	34.6
Forres	157.9 km	31.9
Lossiemouth	142.4 km	28.8
The typical Scottish town	–	54.4