Crime in East Preston: statistics, rates and trends
189 crimes were recorded in East Preston in the 12 months to August 2026, 25.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in East Preston at a glance
- Crime trends in East Preston
- Types of crime in East Preston
- East Preston compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in East Preston
- What happened after crimes were reported in East Preston
- Demographics of East Preston
- Questions about crime in East Preston
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (80), anti-social behaviour (37) and vehicle crime (19) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,856th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | East Preston | Arun | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 189 | 15,129 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 25.8 | 89.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 7,339 | 170,064 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in East Preston of any year here (189 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 45%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 189 | 25.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 237 | 32.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 247 | 33.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 285 | 38.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 281 | 38.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 396 | 54.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 329 | 44.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 337 | 45.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 344 | 46.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 28 |
| July 2026 | 22 |
| June 2026 | 18 |
| May 2026 | 23 |
| April 2026 | 6 |
| March 2026 | 15 |
| February 2026 | 14 |
| January 2026 | 10 |
| December 2025 | 15 |
| November 2025 | 10 |
| October 2025 | 14 |
| September 2025 | 14 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (68% below) and anti-social behaviour (67% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 51 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 80 | 10.9 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 37 | 5.0 | 15.4 | -27% |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 2.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 16 | 2.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Public order | 11 | 1.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 6 | 0.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 3 | 0.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 2 | 0.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than East Preston.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs East Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rustington East | 600 | 112.8 | +338% |
| Rustington West | 400 | 48.7 | +89% |
| Ferring | 276 | 57.3 | +123% |
| Angmering & Findon | 669 | 54.8 | +113% |
| Brookfield | 363 | 56.0 | +117% |
| Beach | 298 | 64.3 | +149% |
| River | 1,772 | 193.3 | +651% |
| Courtwick with Toddington | 1,224 | 96.5 | +275% |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in East Preston over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Roundstone Drive” (10).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Roundstone Drive | 10 |
| On or near Farm Acre | 9 |
| On or near Beechlands Close | 7 |
| On or near Mendip Close | 7 |
| On or near Sea Road | 7 |
| On or near Bay Trees Close | 6 |
| On or near Cotswold Way | 6 |
| On or near Hillview Crescent | 6 |
| On or near Montpelier Road | 6 |
| On or near Roundstone Crescent | 6 |
Of the 152 crimes in East Preston with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 37 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 72 | 47.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 44 | 28.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 4.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 3 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 1.3% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
East Preston has an estimated population of 7,339 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (45%, against 19%), more retired residents (47%, against 22%) and less private renting (8.5%, against 20.3%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up East Preston average decile 7.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | East Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 9.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 44.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 40.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 47.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 81.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 8.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is East Preston a safe place to live?
East Preston recorded 25.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,856th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in East Preston?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 80 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (37).
Is crime in East Preston going up or down?
Recorded crime in East Preston was down 20% on the year before: 189 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 237 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of East Preston?
About 7,339 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 45% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers East Preston?
East Preston is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.