Crime in High Fell: statistics, rates and trends
1,390 crimes were recorded in High Fell in the 12 months to August 2026, 142.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in High Fell at a glance
- Crime trends in High Fell
- Types of crime in High Fell
- High Fell compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in High Fell
- What happened after crimes were reported in High Fell
- Demographics of High Fell
- Questions about crime in High Fell
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (406), shoplifting (332) and anti-social behaviour (206) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 504th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | High Fell | Gateshead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,390 | 19,271 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 142.5 | 95.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 9,751 | 202,760 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in High Fell peaked in the year to August 2019 (2,193 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,378). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 31%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,390 | 142.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,413 | 144.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,378 | 141.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,655 | 169.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,544 | 158.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,777 | 182.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,913 | 196.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,193 | 224.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,015 | 206.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 128 |
| July 2026 | 118 |
| June 2026 | 125 |
| May 2026 | 169 |
| April 2026 | 110 |
| March 2026 | 115 |
| February 2026 | 92 |
| January 2026 | 29 |
| December 2025 | 136 |
| November 2025 | 143 |
| October 2025 | 120 |
| September 2025 | 105 |
Compared with England and Wales, High Fell recorded notably more shoplifting (4.0 times the national rate), robbery (2.9 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (90% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (31% below) and vehicle crime (22% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 197 to 332, while drugs fell from 35 to 22 and burglary fell from 50 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 406 | 41.6 | 34.2 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 332 | 34.0 | 8.5 | +69% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 206 | 21.1 | 15.4 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 125 | 12.8 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Public order | 83 | 8.5 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Other theft | 57 | 5.8 | 6.4 | -8% |
| Robbery | 38 | 3.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 38 | 3.9 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Other crime | 35 | 3.6 | 2.1 | -19% |
| Burglary | 32 | 3.3 | 3.6 | -36% |
| Drugs | 22 | 2.3 | 3.3 | -37% |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than High Fell; the highest is Chowdene (146.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Low Fell (45.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs High Fell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windy Nook and Whitehills | 763 | 81.8 | -43% |
| Chowdene | 1,167 | 146.5 | +3% |
| Low Fell | 434 | 45.1 | -68% |
| Deckham | 846 | 87.2 | -39% |
| Felling | 918 | 120.3 | -16% |
| Lamesley | 1,003 | 102.4 | -28% |
| Saltwell | 826 | 68.0 | -52% |
| Pelaw and Heworth | 627 | 76.0 | -47% |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in High Fell over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (270).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 270 |
| On or near Parking Area | 103 |
| On or near Carlisle Place | 96 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 67 |
| On or near B1296 | 50 |
| On or near Balmlaw | 45 |
| On or near High Street | 39 |
| On or near Vicarage Close | 36 |
| On or near Hospital | 35 |
| On or near Wallace Gardens | 35 |
Of the 1,184 crimes in High Fell with a recorded outcome, 34% 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 206 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 405 | 34.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 403 | 34.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 288 | 24.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 67 | 5.7% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 1.3% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3 | 0.3% | 34.5% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 0.1% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
High Fell has an estimated population of 9,751 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (49%, against 17%), more households without a car (45%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up High Fell average decile 2.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | High Fell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 17.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 44.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 40.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 48.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 48.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is High Fell a safe place to live?
High Fell recorded 142.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 504th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and robbery.
What is the most common crime in High Fell?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 406 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (332).
Is crime in High Fell going up or down?
Recorded crime in High Fell was down 2% on the year before: 1,390 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,413 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of High Fell?
About 9,751 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers High Fell?
High Fell 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.