Crime in Rother: statistics, rates and trends
6,900 crimes were recorded in Rother in the 12 months to July 2026, 71.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
6,900 crimes were recorded in Rother in the 12 months to July 2026, 71.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 2% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 2,386 reports (35% of the total).
Of the 308 districts covered by this site, Rother has the 216th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Rother | East Sussex | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 6,900 | 50,773 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.8 | 90.5 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 96,133 | 560,882 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Rother was highest in the year to July 2020 (7,616 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2023 (6,364). Over the whole period it rose 6%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 6,900 | 71.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 7,007 | 72.9 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 7,024 | 73.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 6,364 | 66.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 6,494 | 67.6 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 7,481 | 77.8 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 7,616 | 79.2 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 7,004 | 72.9 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 6,506 | 67.7 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 716 |
| June 2026 | 675 |
| May 2026 | 725 |
| April 2026 | 498 |
| March 2026 | 577 |
| February 2026 | 500 |
| January 2026 | 466 |
| December 2025 | 478 |
| November 2025 | 505 |
| October 2025 | 576 |
| September 2025 | 580 |
| August 2025 | 604 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Rother over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in robbery (+35%) and possession of weapons (+29%).
The largest falls were in theft from the person (-41%) and shoplifting (-29%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,386 | 24.8 | 0.72 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,448 | 15.1 | 0.98 | +25% |
| Shoplifting | 651 | 6.8 | 0.82 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 631 | 6.6 | 0.97 | -8% |
| Public order | 557 | 5.8 | 0.87 | -1% |
| Other theft | 361 | 3.8 | 0.59 | -7% |
| Burglary | 224 | 2.3 | 0.66 | +11% |
| Vehicle crime | 204 | 2.1 | 0.43 | -10% |
| Other crime | 132 | 1.4 | 0.65 | -27% |
| Drugs | 119 | 1.2 | 0.38 | +13% |
| Possession of weapons | 89 | 0.9 | 0.95 | +29% |
| Robbery | 50 | 0.5 | 0.39 | +35% |
| Bicycle theft | 31 | 0.3 | 0.39 | +15% |
| Theft from the person | 17 | 0.2 | 0.10 | -41% |
Violence and sexual offences in Rother
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Rother recorded 2,386 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (24.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 34.6% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Rother
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Rother recorded 1,448 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (15.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 25% on the year before. It made up 21.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Rother
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Rother recorded 651 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 29% on the year before. It made up 9.4% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Rother
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Rother recorded 631 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 9.1% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Rother
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Rother recorded 557 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Rother
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Rother recorded 361 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Rother
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Rother recorded 224 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 11% on the year before. It made up 3.2% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Rother
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Rother recorded 204 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Rother
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Rother recorded 132 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Rother
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Rother recorded 119 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 13% on the year before. It made up 1.7% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Rother
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Rother recorded 89 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 29% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Rother
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Rother recorded 50 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 35% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Rother
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Rother recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Rother
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Rother recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 41% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the districts closest to Rother, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Rother.
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rother |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings | 13,034 | 142.9 | +99% |
| Eastbourne | 14,399 | 138.1 | +92% |
| Wealden | 9,033 | 54.1 | -25% |
| Tunbridge Wells | 8,081 | 67.5 | -6% |
| Lewes | 7,407 | 72.4 | +1% |
| Ashford | 10,803 | 76.7 | +7% |
| Maidstone | 16,230 | 86.4 | +20% |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 9,137 | 66.8 | -7% |
38 areas within Rother, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Bexhill Sackville had the highest rate (152.7 per 1,000) and Brede & Udimore the lowest (20.5). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bexhill Sackville | Neighbourhood | 4,774 | 729 | 152.7 |
| Bexhill Central | Neighbourhood | 6,160 | 873 | 141.7 |
| Rye & Winchelsea | Neighbourhood | 4,492 | 569 | 126.7 |
| Bexhill Sidley | Neighbourhood | 6,289 | 762 | 121.2 |
| Rye | Town | 4,160 | 468 | 112.5 |
| Westfield (Rother) | Town | 1,679 | 165 | 98.3 |
| North Battle, Netherfield & Whatlington | Neighbourhood | 4,093 | 381 | 93.1 |
| Bexhill-on-Sea | Town | 46,206 | 3,967 | 85.9 |
| Bexhill St Stephens | Neighbourhood | 4,683 | 387 | 82.6 |
| Eastern Rother | Neighbourhood | 4,458 | 334 | 74.9 |
| Northiam | Town | 1,594 | 106 | 66.5 |
| Robertsbridge | Town | 3,127 | 204 | 65.2 |
| Robertsbridge | Neighbourhood | 3,127 | 204 | 65.2 |
| Bexhill Pebsham & St Michaels | Neighbourhood | 5,338 | 327 | 61.3 |
| Sedlescombe & Westfield | Neighbourhood | 4,954 | 299 | 60.4 |
| Bexhill Old Town & Worsham | Neighbourhood | 4,724 | 268 | 56.7 |
| Northern Rother | Neighbourhood | 4,914 | 266 | 54.1 |
| Ticehurst | Town | 3,325 | 171 | 51.4 |
| Sedlescombe | Town | 1,291 | 65 | 50.3 |
| Hurst Green & Ticehurst | Neighbourhood | 4,827 | 242 | 50.1 |
| Icklesham | Town | 1,731 | 83 | 47.9 |
| Hurst Green (Rother) | Town | 1,502 | 71 | 47.3 |
| Bexhill Kewhurst | Neighbourhood | 4,812 | 223 | 46.3 |
| Battle | Town | 3,902 | 177 | 45.4 |
| Bexhill St Marks | Neighbourhood | 5,293 | 240 | 45.3 |
| Staplecross | Town | 1,517 | 65 | 42.8 |
| Peasmarsh (Rother) | Town | 1,548 | 65 | 42.0 |
| Catsfield | Town | 1,395 | 57 | 40.9 |
| Bexhill Collington | Neighbourhood | 4,133 | 158 | 38.2 |
| South Battle & Telham | Neighbourhood | 1,768 | 66 | 37.3 |
| Catsfield & Crowhurst | Neighbourhood | 2,885 | 106 | 36.7 |
| Burwash & the Weald | Neighbourhood | 6,669 | 229 | 34.3 |
| Southern Rother | Neighbourhood | 6,079 | 203 | 33.4 |
| Crowhurst | Town | 1,490 | 49 | 32.9 |
| Burwash | Town | 1,708 | 53 | 31.0 |
| Fairlight | Town | 2,309 | 51 | 22.1 |
| Broad Oak (Rother) | Town | 1,661 | 34 | 20.5 |
| Brede & Udimore | Neighbourhood | 1,661 | 34 | 20.5 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Rother over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 317 |
| On or near Supermarket | 281 |
| On or near Sea Road | 169 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 155 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 147 |
| On or near Brett Drive | 79 |
| On or near Jarretts Close | 76 |
| On or near Gleneagles Close | 73 |
| On or near Sackville Road | 68 |
| On or near Pelwood Road | 67 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Rother over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,459 | 35.6% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,758 | 25.5% |
| Not recorded | 1,448 | 21.0% |
| Under investigation | 435 | 6.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 223 | 3.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 179 | 2.6% |
| Local resolution | 174 | 2.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 79 | 1.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 42 | 0.6% |
| Offender given a caution | 40 | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 29 | 0.4% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 21 | 0.3% |
Rother has an estimated population of 96,133. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Rother sits in decile 4.8, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Rother |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.6% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 52.9% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.5% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.6% |
| Social rented homes | 10.2% |
| Private rented homes | 16.2% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.7% |
Is Rother a safe place to live?
Rother recorded 71.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Rother?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,386 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,448).
Is crime in Rother going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rother was down 2% on the year before: 6,900 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 7,007 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Rother?
Rother is policed by Sussex. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Rother. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.