Crime in Seaham, County Durham: statistics, rates and trends
1,512 crimes were recorded in Seaham, County Durham in the 12 months to August 2026, 129.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 41% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Seaham, County Durham at a glance
- Crime trends in Seaham, County Durham
- Types of crime in Seaham, County Durham
- Seaham, County Durham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Seaham, County Durham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Seaham, County Durham
- Demographics of Seaham, County Durham
- Questions about crime in Seaham, County Durham
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (440), violence and sexual offences (398) and shoplifting (257) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 685th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Seaham, County Durham | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,512 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 129.7 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +41% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 11,655 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Seaham, County Durham of any year here (1,512 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 6%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,512 | 129.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,070 | 91.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 954 | 81.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,210 | 103.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,279 | 109.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,165 | 100.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,167 | 100.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,347 | 115.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,426 | 122.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 172 |
| July 2026 | 199 |
| June 2026 | 159 |
| May 2026 | 142 |
| April 2026 | 119 |
| March 2026 | 126 |
| February 2026 | 102 |
| January 2026 | 115 |
| December 2025 | 90 |
| November 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 107 |
| September 2025 | 102 |
Compared with England and Wales, Seaham, County Durham recorded notably more shoplifting (2.6 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.5 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (95% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (52% below) and burglary (30% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 92 to 257 and anti-social behaviour rose from 235 to 440, while vehicle crime fell from 36 to 28 and other crime fell from 39 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 440 | 37.8 | 15.4 | +87% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 398 | 34.1 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 257 | 22.1 | 8.5 | +179% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 153 | 13.1 | 6.7 | +43% |
| Public order | 74 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +35% |
| Other theft | 64 | 5.5 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Other crime | 31 | 2.7 | 2.1 | -21% |
| Burglary | 29 | 2.5 | 3.6 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 28 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -22% |
| Drugs | 11 | 0.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Seaham, County Durham; 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 Seaham, County Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton & Dawdon | 1,328 | 121.0 | -7% |
| Murton | 1,761 | 161.9 | +25% |
| Easington & Shotton | 2,469 | 142.8 | +10% |
| Peterlee | 1,753 | 136.6 | +5% |
| Horden & Dene House | 2,332 | 210.3 | +62% |
| Lumley & West Rainton | 820 | 82.1 | -37% |
| Castle Eden & Passfield | 572 | 89.4 | -31% |
| Pittington & Sherburn | 385 | 80.2 | -38% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Seaham, County Durham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (106).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 106 |
| On or near Tees Street | 95 |
| On or near Mappleton Drive | 88 |
| On or near Wear Street | 79 |
| On or near Blandford Place | 65 |
| On or near Talbot Place | 50 |
| On or near North Terrace | 49 |
| On or near Supermarket | 38 |
| On or near Parking Area | 37 |
| On or near Derwent Close | 35 |
Of the 1,072 crimes in Seaham, County Durham with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 440 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 398 | 37.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 349 | 32.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 132 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 61 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 43 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 17 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Seaham, County Durham has an estimated population of 11,655 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%), less private renting (13%, against 20%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Seaham, County Durham average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Seaham, County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Seaham, County Durham a safe place to live?
Seaham, County Durham recorded 129.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 685th 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 Seaham, County Durham?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 440 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (398).
Is crime in Seaham, County Durham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Seaham, County Durham was up 41% on the year before: 1,512 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,070 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Seaham, County Durham?
About 11,655 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Seaham, County Durham?
Seaham, 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.