Crime in Rustington East: statistics, rates and trends
600 crimes were recorded in Rustington East in the 12 months to August 2026, 112.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 28% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Rustington East at a glance
- Crime trends in Rustington East
- Types of crime in Rustington East
- Rustington East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Rustington East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Rustington East
- Demographics of Rustington East
- Questions about crime in Rustington East
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (194), anti-social behaviour (158) and violence and sexual offences (104) made up 76% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 958th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Rustington East | Arun | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 600 | 15,129 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 112.8 | 89.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +28% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 5,320 | 170,064 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Rustington East of any year here (600 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 600 | 112.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 469 | 88.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 459 | 86.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 408 | 76.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 340 | 63.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 363 | 68.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 474 | 89.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 432 | 81.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 454 | 85.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 64 |
| July 2026 | 64 |
| June 2026 | 65 |
| May 2026 | 66 |
| April 2026 | 48 |
| March 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 39 |
| December 2025 | 38 |
| November 2025 | 43 |
| October 2025 | 44 |
| September 2025 | 27 |
Compared with England and Wales, Rustington East recorded notably more shoplifting (4.3 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (93% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (43% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 99 to 194 and criminal damage and arson rose from 26 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 194 | 36.5 | 8.5 | +96% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 158 | 29.7 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 104 | 19.5 | 34.2 | +13% |
| Public order | 41 | 7.7 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 36 | 6.8 | 6.7 | +38% |
| Robbery | 17 | 3.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other theft | 14 | 2.6 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 11 | 2.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 1.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 3 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Rustington East; the highest is River (193.3 per 1,000) and the lowest East Preston (25.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rustington East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rustington West | 400 | 48.7 | -57% |
| East Preston | 189 | 25.8 | -77% |
| Brookfield | 363 | 56.0 | -50% |
| Beach | 298 | 64.3 | -43% |
| River | 1,772 | 193.3 | +71% |
| Angmering & Findon | 669 | 54.8 | -51% |
| Courtwick with Toddington | 1,224 | 96.5 | -14% |
| Ferring | 276 | 57.3 | -49% |
The 10 locations below account for 70% of the crime recorded in Rustington East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (177).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 177 |
| On or near Northcourt Close | 51 |
| On or near Coach House Close | 48 |
| On or near Fittleworth Garden | 39 |
| On or near Fircroft Crescent | 26 |
| On or near Mill Close | 24 |
| On or near Parking Area | 15 |
| On or near New Road | 14 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 14 |
| On or near Woodlands Avenue | 14 |
Of the 442 crimes in Rustington East with a recorded outcome, 50% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 158 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 220 | 49.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 85 | 19.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 72 | 16.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Rustington East has an estimated population of 5,320 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (43%, against 19%), more retired residents (47%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.2%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rustington East average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Rustington East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 10.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 43.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 40.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 46.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Rustington East a safe place to live?
Rustington East recorded 112.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 958th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Rustington East?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 194 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (158).
Is crime in Rustington East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rustington East was up 28% on the year before: 600 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 469 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rustington East?
About 5,320 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 43% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rustington East?
Rustington East 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.