Crime in Polegate North: statistics, rates and trends
346 crimes were recorded in Polegate North in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 18% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Polegate North at a glance
- Crime trends in Polegate North
- Types of crime in Polegate North
- Polegate North compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Polegate North
- What happened after crimes were reported in Polegate North
- Demographics of Polegate North
- Questions about crime in Polegate North
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (99), violence and sexual offences (83) and anti-social behaviour (66) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,364th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Polegate North | Wealden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 346 | 9,107 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.1 | 54.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -18% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 3,637 | 166,908 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Polegate North peaked in the year to August 2025 (424 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (286). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 346 | 95.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 424 | 116.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 388 | 106.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 339 | 93.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 286 | 78.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 289 | 79.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 330 | 90.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 355 | 97.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 292 | 80.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 24 |
| July 2026 | 27 |
| June 2026 | 27 |
| May 2026 | 35 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| March 2026 | 38 |
| February 2026 | 42 |
| January 2026 | 25 |
| December 2025 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 19 |
| October 2025 | 22 |
| September 2025 | 23 |
Compared with England and Wales, Polegate North recorded notably more shoplifting (3.2 times the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (33% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 72 to 83, while shoplifting fell from 192 to 99.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 99 | 27.2 | 8.5 | -48% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 83 | 22.8 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 66 | 18.1 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 26 | 7.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Public order | 23 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 17 | 4.7 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 2.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Polegate North has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Polegate North |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | 181 | 45.1 | -53% |
| Polegate Central | 192 | 38.5 | -60% |
| Lower Willingdon | 114 | 37.4 | -61% |
| Upper Willingdon | 213 | 61.6 | -35% |
| Hailsham South | 189 | 60.8 | -36% |
| Stone Cross | 295 | 52.4 | -45% |
| Hailsham East | 434 | 83.3 | -12% |
| Hailsham West | 371 | 84.2 | -11% |
The 10 locations below account for 75% of the crime recorded in Polegate North over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (71).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 71 |
| On or near High Street | 61 |
| On or near Junction Street | 45 |
| On or near School Lane | 17 |
| On or near Cross Street | 16 |
| On or near Primrose Way | 13 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 12 |
| On or near Gilda Close | 9 |
| On or near Old Drive | 8 |
| On or near Parking Area | 8 |
Of the 280 crimes in Polegate North with a recorded outcome, 64% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 66 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 179 | 63.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 58 | 20.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 14 | 5.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Polegate North has an estimated population of 3,637 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (5.4%, against 17.1%), fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%) and an older population (27%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Polegate North average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Polegate North | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 5.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Polegate North a safe place to live?
Polegate North recorded 95.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,364th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Polegate North?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 99 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (83).
Is crime in Polegate North going up or down?
Recorded crime in Polegate North was down 18% on the year before: 346 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 424 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Polegate North?
About 3,637 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Polegate North?
Polegate North 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.