Crime in Beccles & Worlingham: statistics, rates and trends
741 crimes were recorded in Beccles & Worlingham in the 12 months to August 2026, 50.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Beccles & Worlingham at a glance
- Crime trends in Beccles & Worlingham
- Types of crime in Beccles & Worlingham
- Beccles & Worlingham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Beccles & Worlingham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Beccles & Worlingham
- Demographics of Beccles & Worlingham
- Questions about crime in Beccles & Worlingham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (342), shoplifting (91) and anti-social behaviour (65) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,020th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Beccles & Worlingham | East Suffolk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 741 | 14,335 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 50.2 | 57.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 14,770 | 249,664 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Beccles & Worlingham of any year here (741 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 741 | 50.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 857 | 58.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 915 | 61.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,000 | 67.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,170 | 79.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,105 | 74.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 963 | 65.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 861 | 58.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,023 | 69.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 54 |
| July 2026 | 78 |
| June 2026 | 76 |
| May 2026 | 70 |
| April 2026 | 51 |
| March 2026 | 53 |
| February 2026 | 49 |
| January 2026 | 62 |
| December 2025 | 64 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 76 |
| September 2025 | 46 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (71% below) and public order (67% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order fell from 60 to 32 and criminal damage and arson fell from 92 to 62.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 342 | 23.2 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 91 | 6.2 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 65 | 4.4 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 62 | 4.2 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Other theft | 58 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Burglary | 34 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -31% |
| Public order | 32 | 2.2 | 6.7 | -47% |
| Other crime | 22 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 11 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 11 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Beccles & Worlingham; the highest is Harbour & Normanston (187.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Carlton Colville (35.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Beccles & Worlingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bungay & Wainford | 390 | 40.9 | -19% |
| Carlton Colville | 300 | 35.7 | -29% |
| Carlton & Whitton | 484 | 55.7 | +11% |
| Oulton Broad | 680 | 46.5 | -7% |
| Kessingland | 346 | 68.0 | +35% |
| Kirkley & Pakefield | 1,270 | 92.3 | +84% |
| Harbour & Normanston | 3,036 | 187.7 | +274% |
| Gunton & St Margarets | 715 | 73.3 | +46% |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Beccles & Worlingham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (65).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 65 |
| On or near Parking Area | 58 |
| On or near George Westwood Way | 23 |
| On or near Old Market | 22 |
| On or near London Road | 16 |
| On or near New Market | 15 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 15 |
| On or near Endgate Close | 13 |
| On or near Centre Close | 12 |
| On or near White House Gardens | 12 |
Of the 676 crimes in Beccles & Worlingham with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 65 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 215 | 31.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 211 | 31.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 91 | 13.5% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 44 | 6.5% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 34 | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 32 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 3.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 3 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Beccles & Worlingham has an estimated population of 14,770 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), more retired residents (33%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Beccles & Worlingham average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Beccles & Worlingham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Beccles & Worlingham a safe place to live?
Beccles & Worlingham recorded 50.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,020th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Beccles & Worlingham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 342 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (91).
Is crime in Beccles & Worlingham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Beccles & Worlingham was down 14% on the year before: 741 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 857 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Beccles & Worlingham?
About 14,770 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Beccles & Worlingham?
Beccles & Worlingham is policed by Suffolk.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.