Crime in Hirst: statistics, rates and trends
1,061 crimes were recorded in Hirst in the 12 months to August 2026, 152.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 24% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (429), anti-social behaviour (177) and criminal damage and arson (145) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 414th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Hirst | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,061 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 152.4 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -24% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 6,960 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Hirst of any year here (1,061 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 40%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,061 | 152.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,403 | 201.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,585 | 227.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,574 | 226.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,492 | 214.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,789 | 257.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,628 | 233.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,584 | 227.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,776 | 255.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 94 |
| July 2026 | 97 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 122 |
| April 2026 | 83 |
| March 2026 | 89 |
| February 2026 | 53 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 75 |
| November 2025 | 93 |
| October 2025 | 133 |
| September 2025 | 114 |
Compared with England and Wales, Hirst recorded notably more other crime (3.3 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (3.1 times the national rate) and burglary (2.7 times the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 151 to 177, while public order fell from 106 to 45 and other theft fell from 99 to 47.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 429 | 61.6 | 34.2 | -24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 177 | 25.4 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 145 | 20.8 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Burglary | 67 | 9.6 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Other crime | 48 | 6.9 | 2.1 | -26% |
| Other theft | 47 | 6.8 | 6.4 | -53% |
| Public order | 45 | 6.5 | 6.7 | -58% |
| Vehicle crime | 40 | 5.7 | 5.0 | -22% |
| Drugs | 28 | 4.0 | 3.3 | -40% |
| Shoplifting | 15 | 2.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Hirst; the highest is Ashington Central (192.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton with Spital (51.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hirst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashington Central | 753 | 192.8 | +26% |
| Seaton with Spital | 189 | 51.0 | -67% |
| College with North Seaton | 849 | 135.6 | -11% |
| Haydon | 309 | 73.5 | -52% |
| Bothal | 362 | 71.8 | -53% |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 679 | 116.1 | -24% |
| Stakeford | 347 | 78.2 | -49% |
| Sleekburn | 580 | 128.0 | -16% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Hirst over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Castle Terrace” (94).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Castle Terrace | 94 |
| On or near Sixth Avenue | 75 |
| On or near Fifth Avenue | 70 |
| On or near First Avenue | 64 |
| On or near Alexandra Road | 59 |
| On or near Pont Street | 59 |
| On or near Fourth Avenue | 51 |
| On or near Rosalind Street | 47 |
| On or near Third Avenue | 46 |
| On or near Second Avenue | 41 |
Of the 884 crimes in Hirst with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 177 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 313 | 35.4% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 263 | 29.8% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 259 | 29.3% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 13 | 1.5% | 34.5% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 5 | 0.6% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Hirst has an estimated population of 6,960 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (44%, against 23%), more private renting (38%, against 20%) and more unemployed residents (6.3%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hirst average decile 1.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Hirst | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 46.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 16.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 27.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 44.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 39.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 37.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 100.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Hirst a safe place to live?
Hirst recorded 152.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 414th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Hirst?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 429 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (177).
Is crime in Hirst going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hirst was down 24% on the year before: 1,061 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,403 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hirst?
About 6,960 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hirst?
Hirst 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.