Crime in Bridges: statistics, rates and trends
2,786 crimes were recorded in Bridges in the 12 months to August 2026, 217.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (741), anti-social behaviour (636) and shoplifting (242) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 163rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bridges | Gateshead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,786 | 19,271 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 217.6 | 95.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 12,805 | 202,760 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Bridges of any year here (2,786 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,786 | 217.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,331 | 260.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,410 | 266.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,802 | 296.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,233 | 252.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,577 | 279.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,576 | 279.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,574 | 279.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,830 | 299.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 288 |
| July 2026 | 216 |
| June 2026 | 236 |
| May 2026 | 256 |
| April 2026 | 228 |
| March 2026 | 163 |
| February 2026 | 159 |
| January 2026 | 71 |
| December 2025 | 241 |
| November 2025 | 307 |
| October 2025 | 332 |
| September 2025 | 289 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bridges recorded notably more robbery (4.1 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (3.2 times the national rate) and burglary (2.9 times the national rate). On the year before, other crime rose from 51 to 71, while possession of weapons fell from 45 to 24 and drugs fell from 101 to 61.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 741 | 57.9 | 34.2 | -23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 636 | 49.7 | 15.4 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 242 | 18.9 | 8.5 | -28% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 228 | 17.8 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Public order | 204 | 15.9 | 6.7 | -36% |
| Other theft | 171 | 13.4 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Vehicle crime | 137 | 10.7 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Burglary | 132 | 10.3 | 3.6 | +7% |
| Robbery | 72 | 5.6 | 1.4 | -3% |
| Other crime | 71 | 5.5 | 2.1 | +39% |
| Drugs | 61 | 4.8 | 3.3 | -40% |
| Theft from the person | 41 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 0% |
| Bicycle theft | 26 | 2.0 | 0.8 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 1.9 | 1.0 | -47% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Bridges has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bridges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saltwell | 826 | 68.0 | -69% |
| Deckham | 846 | 87.2 | -60% |
| Felling | 918 | 120.3 | -45% |
| Lobley Hill and Bensham | 729 | 88.1 | -59% |
| Dunston and Teams | 1,047 | 111.4 | -49% |
| Low Fell | 434 | 45.1 | -79% |
| Windy Nook and Whitehills | 763 | 81.8 | -62% |
| High Fell | 1,390 | 142.5 | -34% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Bridges over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (341).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 341 |
| On or near West Street | 251 |
| On or near Parking Area | 166 |
| On or near Charles Street | 160 |
| On or near Shelley Drive | 130 |
| On or near Gateshead Stadium | 104 |
| On or near Ann Street | 88 |
| On or near Half Moon Lane | 84 |
| On or near Hopper Street | 69 |
| On or near Mill Road | 66 |
Of the 2,150 crimes in Bridges with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 636 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,008 | 46.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 524 | 24.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 520 | 24.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 58 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 0.7% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 12 | 0.6% | 34.5% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Bridges has an estimated population of 12,805 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (16.9%, against 7.9%), more households without a car (47%, against 23%) and more private renting (37%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bridges average decile 2.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bridges | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 16.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 46.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 35.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 37.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 22.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bridges a safe place to live?
Bridges recorded 217.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 163rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Bridges?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 741 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (636).
Is crime in Bridges going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bridges was down 16% on the year before: 2,786 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,331 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bridges?
About 12,805 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bridges?
Bridges is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.