Wondering ‘Is Shetland Safe?’ – After 26 Visits I Say It Is

If you are thinking of visiting Shetland and wondering if it’s safe then let me tell you straight away, Shetland is very safe.

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Is Shetland Safe? Crime Statistics

The most recent crime figures are for 2022.

They show a total 809 crimes for the year, for the whole population of Shetland which is 23,000 people.

Ref: Datamap Scotland

Here is how the crime data looks from 2018 – 2022.

Apparently, there was a change in the way crimes were recorded in 2022 which explains the increase in figures.

Year	Lerwick	North Isles	Shetland North	Shetland West	Shetland South
2018	55	2	3	7	1
2019	66	1	8	4	3
2020	59	1	11	2	5
2021	35	3	12	2	8
2022	162	10	26	33	9

Table: Is Shetland Safe – crime data showing crime rates in Shetland areas (wards)

You might be wondering how that compares to other parts of Scotland so here is a comparison of the area in the Highlands where I live, the Cromarty Firth ward, and also one of the areas in the centre of Glasgow.

Shetland has a total population of 23,000 people.

Cromarty Firth area has a total population of 13,000 people.

The Anderston/City/Yorkhill area in Glasgow has a total population of 34,000 people.

It’s important to note that these figures are crime rates per 1,000 people.

Year	Cromarty Firth	Glasgow Anderston/City/Yorkhill
2018	26	439
2019	29	441
2020	41	328
2021	34	387
2022	70	479

Here are the types of crimes recorded. I’ve included 2021 so you can see the variation in the rates due to the changes in how crimes are recorded.

Type of Crime	2021	2022
Non-sexual crimes	8	22
Sexual crimes	35	42
Crimes of dishonesty	19	84
Fire raising/vandalism	21	66
Other crimes	43	132
Miscellaneous	70	219
Motor Vehicle	16	244
Totals	212	809

Table: Is Shetland Safe data showing types of crimes committed in Shetland

My Experience of 26 Visits to Shetland

I have now spent over 6 months in Shetland, having taken something like 26 group tours there over the last 3 years.

During that time none of my guests have experienced anything other than a very warm and friendly welcome.

Shetland is the sort place where people leave their engines running when they make quick stop somewhere.

It’s the type of place where if you leave something, like the passport my guests left behind in a cafe, you know that you are more likely than not to get it back.

On my very last visit to Shetland in 2024 a man started chatting to me as I was walking back to my hotel in Brae. He asked me to ‘come and have a look at something’.

In most other places I would probably politely decline, but in Shetland I felt comfortable enough to say yes and I got to see his lovely summerhouse made out of an upturned boat. It was super cute and in a lovely position on the shoreline too.

The biggest danger of visiting Shetland, in my view, is that you may well fall a little bit in love with place.

But What About All Those Murders?

If you are a fan of the Shetland TV series, like me, then you may be under the impression that Shetland has a high murder rate.

(If you aren’t a fan of the Shetland TV series then you should watch it before you visit and then again after you visit. Watching it before will introduce you to Shetland and watching it afterwards you will be able to say ‘been there’ at regular intervals, as you see places you recognise.)

If the murders reflected reality then Shetland would have a murder rate of 68.2 per 100,000 people, making it a pretty deadly place to visit!

Infact, Shetland has only had 2 murders in the last 50 years.

Ref: Scottish Daily Sun

That’s not to say there aren’t issues in Shetland. Scotland has the highest alcohol and drugs death rates in Western Europe and in rural communities those issues can be quite hidden from visitors.

Shetland has the same issues, and a larger problem with underage drinking too.

Visitors are extremely unlikely to experience any issues in relation to these.

Is Shetland Safe? – Conclusion

• Shetland is very safe for visitors, with extremely friendly and welcoming people.
• Shetland has a low crime rate overall, despite the activities of the Shetland TV police.

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