Crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham: statistics, rates and trends
3,238 crimes were recorded in Bishop Auckland, County Durham in the 12 months to August 2026, 194.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham at a glance
- Crime trends in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- Types of crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- Bishop Auckland, County Durham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- Demographics of Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- Questions about crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,001), anti-social behaviour (688) and criminal damage and arson (395) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 211th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bishop Auckland, County Durham | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,238 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 194.8 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 16,618 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham peaked in the year to August 2020 (3,749 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (2,881). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,238 | 194.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,973 | 178.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,090 | 185.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,881 | 173.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,392 | 204.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,195 | 192.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,749 | 225.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,530 | 212.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,741 | 225.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 296 |
| July 2026 | 326 |
| June 2026 | 331 |
| May 2026 | 283 |
| April 2026 | 269 |
| March 2026 | 269 |
| February 2026 | 226 |
| January 2026 | 297 |
| December 2025 | 233 |
| November 2025 | 214 |
| October 2025 | 262 |
| September 2025 | 232 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bishop Auckland, County Durham recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (3.5 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (2.7 times the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (25% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 224 to 385 and vehicle crime rose from 78 to 109.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,001 | 60.2 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 688 | 41.4 | 15.4 | +1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 395 | 23.8 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Shoplifting | 385 | 23.2 | 8.5 | +72% |
| Public order | 203 | 12.2 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Burglary | 121 | 7.3 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Other theft | 112 | 6.7 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 109 | 6.6 | 5.0 | +40% |
| Other crime | 86 | 5.2 | 2.1 | +18% |
| Drugs | 62 | 3.7 | 3.3 | +22% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 1.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 21 | 1.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Bishop Auckland, County Durham has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bishop Auckland, County Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Auckland | 1,796 | 154.1 | -21% |
| Shildon & Dene Valley | 2,959 | 160.1 | -18% |
| Willington & Hunwick | 1,238 | 132.5 | -32% |
| Spennymoor | 1,365 | 126.9 | -35% |
| Aycliffe North & Middridge | 1,140 | 96.2 | -51% |
| Chilton | 758 | 152.2 | -22% |
| Aycliffe South | 2,596 | 163.6 | -16% |
| Crook | 1,597 | 111.8 | -43% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Bishop Auckland, County Durham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (315).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 315 |
| On or near Parking Area | 169 |
| On or near A6072 | 114 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 110 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 64 |
| On or near Market Place | 62 |
| On or near Weardale Drive | 50 |
| On or near Boddy Street | 47 |
| On or near Taylor Square | 46 |
| On or near Waddington Street | 46 |
Of the 2,550 crimes in Bishop Auckland, County Durham with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 688 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 956 | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 915 | 35.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 223 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 166 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 70 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 57 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 48 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 40 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 23 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Bishop Auckland, County Durham has an estimated population of 16,618 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%), more households without a car (31%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bishop Auckland, County Durham average decile 2.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bishop Auckland, County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 26.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bishop Auckland, County Durham a safe place to live?
Bishop Auckland, County Durham recorded 194.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 211th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,001 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (688).
Is crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bishop Auckland, County Durham was up 9% on the year before: 3,238 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,973 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bishop Auckland, County Durham?
About 16,618 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bishop Auckland, County Durham?
Bishop Auckland, County Durham 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.