Crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill: statistics, rates and trends
163 crimes were recorded in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill in the 12 months to July 2026, 40.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill at a glance
- Crime trends in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
- Types of crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
- Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
- What happened after crimes were reported in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
- Population and deprivation in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
- Questions about crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
- About this data
163 crimes were recorded in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill in the 12 months to July 2026, 40.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 16% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 60 reports (37% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill has the 3,422nd highest crime rate.
| Measure | Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | Wealden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 163 | 9,033 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 40.6 | 54.1 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | +10% | -1% |
| Population | 4,014 | 166,908 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill was highest in the year to July 2019 (286 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2023 (160). Over the whole period it fell 32%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 163 | 40.6 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 194 | 48.3 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 185 | 46.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 160 | 39.9 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 212 | 52.8 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 266 | 66.3 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 222 | 55.3 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 286 | 71.3 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 238 | 59.3 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 13 |
| June 2026 | 18 |
| May 2026 | 16 |
| April 2026 | 12 |
| March 2026 | 6 |
| February 2026 | 17 |
| January 2026 | 16 |
| December 2025 | 10 |
| November 2025 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 21 |
| September 2025 | 14 |
| August 2025 | 8 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+24%). The largest falls were in violence and sexual offences (-36%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 60 | 14.9 | 0.44 | -36% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 36 | 9.0 | 0.58 | +24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 23 | 5.7 | 0.84 | +10% |
| Public order | 19 | 4.7 | 0.71 | +58% |
| Other theft | 6 | 1.5 | 0.23 | -45% |
| Burglary | 5 | 1.2 | 0.35 | -38% |
| Drugs | 5 | 1.2 | 0.38 | +25% |
| Other crime | 5 | 1.2 | 0.59 | +0% |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 0.26 | +0% |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 0.18 | +0% |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 0.03 | -67% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 0.15 | n/a |
Violence and sexual offences in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 60 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (14.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 36% on the year before. It made up 36.8% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 36 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 24% on the year before. It made up 22.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 23 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 10% on the year before. It made up 14.1% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 58% on the year before. It made up 11.7% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 45% on the year before. It made up 3.7% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 38% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 25% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 67% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polegate North | 372 | 102.3 | +152% |
| Lower Willingdon | 106 | 34.7 | -14% |
| Upper Willingdon | 209 | 60.5 | +49% |
| Polegate Central | 188 | 37.7 | -7% |
| Stone Cross | 285 | 50.6 | +25% |
| Hailsham South | 194 | 62.4 | +54% |
| Hailsham East | 428 | 82.1 | +102% |
| South Downs | 119 | 35.6 | -12% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Broad Road | 17 |
| On or near Park Croft | 11 |
| On or near A2270 | 10 |
| On or near Gainsborough Lane | 10 |
| On or near Bernhard Gardens | 9 |
| On or near The Thatchings | 9 |
| On or near Southfield | 8 |
| On or near Farmlands Avenue | 6 |
| On or near Northfield | 6 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 6 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 54 | 33.1% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 41 | 25.2% |
| Not recorded | 36 | 22.1% |
| Under investigation | 7 | 4.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 4.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 3.7% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 1.2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 1.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.6% |
Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill has an estimated population of 4,014. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill sits in decile 6.4, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 53.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 34.8% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.6% |
| Social rented homes | 10.3% |
| Private rented homes | 9.0% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 |
Is Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill a safe place to live?
Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill recorded 40.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 60 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (36).
Is crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill going up or down?
Recorded crime in Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill was down 16% on the year before: 163 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 194 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill?
Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill is policed by Sussex. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.