Crime in Benfieldside: statistics, rates and trends
586 crimes were recorded in Benfieldside in the 12 months to August 2026, 59.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Benfieldside at a glance
- Crime trends in Benfieldside
- Types of crime in Benfieldside
- Benfieldside compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Benfieldside
- What happened after crimes were reported in Benfieldside
- Demographics of Benfieldside
- Questions about crime in Benfieldside
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (211), anti-social behaviour (125) and criminal damage and arson (57) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,621st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Benfieldside | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 586 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.9 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +16% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,788 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Benfieldside of any year here (586 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 586 | 59.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 507 | 51.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 473 | 48.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 536 | 54.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 421 | 43.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 482 | 49.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 571 | 58.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 565 | 57.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 572 | 58.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 91 |
| July 2026 | 63 |
| June 2026 | 52 |
| May 2026 | 53 |
| April 2026 | 60 |
| March 2026 | 38 |
| February 2026 | 39 |
| January 2026 | 33 |
| December 2025 | 35 |
| November 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 46 |
| September 2025 | 44 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (62% below) and shoplifting (37% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 20 to 52 and public order rose from 25 to 43.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 211 | 21.6 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 125 | 12.8 | 15.4 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 57 | 5.8 | 6.7 | +46% |
| Shoplifting | 52 | 5.3 | 8.5 | +160% |
| Public order | 43 | 4.4 | 6.7 | +72% |
| Vehicle crime | 36 | 3.7 | 5.0 | +71% |
| Other theft | 24 | 2.5 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Benfieldside; the highest is Stanley, County Durham (182.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Lanchester & Burnhope (54.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Benfieldside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consett North | 660 | 116.1 | +94% |
| Delves Lane | 1,327 | 128.9 | +115% |
| Consett South | 419 | 72.3 | +21% |
| Derwent & Pont Valley | 1,068 | 60.6 | +1% |
| Annfield Plain & Tanfield | 1,148 | 108.3 | +81% |
| Lanchester & Burnhope | 328 | 54.4 | -9% |
| Craghead & South Moor | 1,709 | 132.6 | +121% |
| Stanley | 1,872 | 182.0 | +204% |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Benfieldside over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Oxley Street” (69).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oxley Street | 69 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Gill Side View | 15 |
| On or near Mason Avenue | 15 |
| On or near Highridge | 14 |
| On or near Maple Gardens | 14 |
| On or near The Crescent | 14 |
| On or near York Road | 14 |
| On or near Valley View | 13 |
| On or near Derwent Place | 11 |
Of the 461 crimes in Benfieldside with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 125 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 179 | 38.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 124 | 26.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 89 | 19.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 18 | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.4% | 3.1% |
Benfieldside has an estimated population of 9,788 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (27%, against 22%) and less private renting (15%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Benfieldside average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Benfieldside | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Benfieldside a safe place to live?
Benfieldside recorded 59.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,621st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Benfieldside?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 211 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (125).
Is crime in Benfieldside going up or down?
Recorded crime in Benfieldside was up 16% on the year before: 586 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 507 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Benfieldside?
About 9,788 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Benfieldside?
Benfieldside is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.