Crime in Peterlee, County Durham: statistics, rates and trends
1,753 crimes were recorded in Peterlee, County Durham in the 12 months to August 2026, 136.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Peterlee, County Durham at a glance
- Crime trends in Peterlee, County Durham
- Types of crime in Peterlee, County Durham
- Peterlee, County Durham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Peterlee, County Durham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Peterlee, County Durham
- Demographics of Peterlee, County Durham
- Questions about crime in Peterlee, County Durham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (708), anti-social behaviour (279) and criminal damage and arson (277) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 580th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Peterlee, County Durham | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,753 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 136.6 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 12,833 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Peterlee, County Durham peaked in the year to August 2023 (2,215 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,671). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,753 | 136.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,671 | 130.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,901 | 148.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,215 | 172.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,134 | 166.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,127 | 165.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,003 | 156.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,112 | 164.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,159 | 168.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 203 |
| July 2026 | 190 |
| June 2026 | 151 |
| May 2026 | 136 |
| April 2026 | 146 |
| March 2026 | 149 |
| February 2026 | 138 |
| January 2026 | 145 |
| December 2025 | 112 |
| November 2025 | 118 |
| October 2025 | 137 |
| September 2025 | 128 |
Compared with England and Wales, Peterlee, County Durham recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (3.2 times the national rate), other crime (2.8 times the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (61% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (42% below) and drugs (36% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 211 to 279, while burglary fell from 52 to 33 and drugs fell from 42 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 708 | 55.2 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 279 | 21.7 | 15.4 | +32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 277 | 21.6 | 6.7 | +13% |
| Shoplifting | 128 | 10.0 | 8.5 | +8% |
| Public order | 95 | 7.4 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Other crime | 76 | 5.9 | 2.1 | +7% |
| Other theft | 65 | 5.1 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 37 | 2.9 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Burglary | 33 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -37% |
| Drugs | 27 | 2.1 | 3.3 | -36% |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Peterlee, County Durham; the highest is Horden & Dene House (210.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Castle Eden & Passfield (89.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Peterlee, County Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horden & Dene House | 2,332 | 210.3 | +54% |
| Castle Eden & Passfield | 572 | 89.4 | -35% |
| Easington & Shotton | 2,469 | 142.8 | +5% |
| Blackhalls & Hesledens | 671 | 136.5 | 0% |
| Thornley & Wheatley Hill | 893 | 152.0 | +11% |
| Trimdon & Wingate | 1,505 | 126.0 | -8% |
| Murton | 1,761 | 161.9 | +19% |
| Dalton & Dawdon | 1,328 | 121.0 | -11% |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Peterlee, County Durham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Malvern Close” (111).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Malvern Close | 111 |
| On or near Surtees Road | 74 |
| On or near Burnside | 70 |
| On or near Clifton Square | 39 |
| On or near Chester Place | 38 |
| On or near Brandlings Way | 36 |
| On or near Supermarket | 35 |
| On or near Stafford Place | 32 |
| On or near Pentland Close | 31 |
| On or near Essington Way | 28 |
Of the 1,474 crimes in Peterlee, County Durham with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 279 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 618 | 41.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 398 | 27.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 171 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 89 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 49 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 44 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 40 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Peterlee, County Durham has an estimated population of 12,833 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (30%, against 17%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (18%, against 34%) and more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Peterlee, County Durham average decile 1.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Peterlee, County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 33.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 29.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 51.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Peterlee, County Durham a safe place to live?
Peterlee, County Durham recorded 136.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 580th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Peterlee, County Durham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 708 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (279).
Is crime in Peterlee, County Durham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Peterlee, County Durham was up 5% on the year before: 1,753 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,671 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Peterlee, County Durham?
About 12,833 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Peterlee, County Durham?
Peterlee, County Durham 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.