Crime in Murton: statistics, rates and trends
1,761 crimes were recorded in Murton in the 12 months to August 2026, 161.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (554), shoplifting (301) and anti-social behaviour (263) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 360th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Murton | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,761 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 161.9 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 10,876 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Murton of any year here (1,761 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,761 | 161.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,631 | 150.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,452 | 133.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,448 | 133.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,413 | 129.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,376 | 126.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,437 | 132.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,691 | 155.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,484 | 136.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 167 |
| July 2026 | 169 |
| June 2026 | 139 |
| May 2026 | 195 |
| April 2026 | 151 |
| March 2026 | 142 |
| February 2026 | 153 |
| January 2026 | 117 |
| December 2025 | 139 |
| November 2025 | 125 |
| October 2025 | 124 |
| September 2025 | 140 |
Compared with England and Wales, Murton recorded notably more shoplifting (3.3 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (2.9 times the national rate) and other crime (2.0 times the national rate). On the year before, other crime rose from 31 to 47 and burglary rose from 59 to 77, while shoplifting fell from 391 to 301.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 554 | 50.9 | 34.2 | +26% |
| Shoplifting | 301 | 27.7 | 8.5 | -23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 263 | 24.2 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 215 | 19.8 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 87 | 8.0 | 5.0 | +21% |
| Public order | 84 | 7.7 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Burglary | 77 | 7.1 | 3.6 | +31% |
| Other theft | 75 | 6.9 | 6.4 | -10% |
| Other crime | 47 | 4.3 | 2.1 | +52% |
| Drugs | 30 | 2.8 | 3.3 | +30% |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Murton; the highest is Horden & Dene House (210.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Pittington & Sherburn (80.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Murton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton & Dawdon | 1,328 | 121.0 | -25% |
| Seaham | 1,512 | 129.7 | -20% |
| Easington & Shotton | 2,469 | 142.8 | -12% |
| Peterlee | 1,753 | 136.6 | -16% |
| Horden & Dene House | 2,332 | 210.3 | +30% |
| Pittington & Sherburn | 385 | 80.2 | -50% |
| Thornley & Wheatley Hill | 893 | 152.0 | -6% |
| Castle Eden & Passfield | 572 | 89.4 | -45% |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Murton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (185).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 185 |
| On or near Fife Street | 184 |
| On or near Watkin Crescent | 55 |
| On or near Windsor Drive | 53 |
| On or near Parking Area | 52 |
| On or near Lansbury Drive | 51 |
| On or near James Street South | 46 |
| On or near Sea View Walk | 46 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 46 |
| On or near Wood'S Terrace | 46 |
Of the 1,498 crimes in Murton with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 263 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 540 | 36.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 526 | 35.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 139 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 78 | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 69 | 4.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 56 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 30 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Murton has an estimated population of 10,876 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (21%, against 34%) and fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Murton average decile 2.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Murton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 27.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Murton a safe place to live?
Murton recorded 161.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 360th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Murton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 554 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (301).
Is crime in Murton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Murton was up 8% on the year before: 1,761 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,631 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Murton?
About 10,876 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Murton?
Murton 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.