Crime in Shildon & Dene Valley: statistics, rates and trends
2,959 crimes were recorded in Shildon & Dene Valley in the 12 months to August 2026, 160.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shildon & Dene Valley at a glance
- Crime trends in Shildon & Dene Valley
- Types of crime in Shildon & Dene Valley
- Shildon & Dene Valley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Shildon & Dene Valley
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shildon & Dene Valley
- Demographics of Shildon & Dene Valley
- Questions about crime in Shildon & Dene Valley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,060), anti-social behaviour (535) and criminal damage and arson (466) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 367th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Shildon & Dene Valley | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,959 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 160.1 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 18,484 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shildon & Dene Valley peaked in the year to August 2021 (3,427 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,749). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,959 | 160.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,749 | 148.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,886 | 156.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,183 | 172.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,326 | 179.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,427 | 185.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,276 | 177.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,935 | 158.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,117 | 168.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 264 |
| July 2026 | 316 |
| June 2026 | 234 |
| May 2026 | 289 |
| April 2026 | 257 |
| March 2026 | 239 |
| February 2026 | 169 |
| January 2026 | 200 |
| December 2025 | 221 |
| November 2025 | 234 |
| October 2025 | 260 |
| September 2025 | 276 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shildon & Dene Valley recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (3.7 times the national rate), other crime (2.5 times the national rate) and burglary (2.2 times the national rate), and notably less drugs (26% below) and shoplifting (21% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 77 to 123 and other theft rose from 117 to 174, while drugs fell from 54 to 45.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,060 | 57.3 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 535 | 28.9 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 466 | 25.2 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Other theft | 174 | 9.4 | 6.4 | +49% |
| Public order | 172 | 9.3 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Burglary | 146 | 7.9 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 123 | 6.7 | 8.5 | +60% |
| Vehicle crime | 98 | 5.3 | 5.0 | +22% |
| Other crime | 97 | 5.2 | 2.1 | -3% |
| Drugs | 45 | 2.4 | 3.3 | -17% |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Shildon & Dene Valley; the highest is Bishop Auckland, County Durham (194.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Aycliffe North & Middridge (96.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shildon & Dene Valley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Auckland | 3,238 | 194.8 | +22% |
| Aycliffe North & Middridge | 1,140 | 96.2 | -40% |
| West Auckland | 1,796 | 154.1 | -4% |
| Aycliffe South | 2,596 | 163.6 | +2% |
| Chilton | 758 | 152.2 | -5% |
| Spennymoor | 1,365 | 126.9 | -21% |
| Ferryhill | 1,969 | 167.2 | +4% |
| Tudhoe | 1,744 | 162.4 | +1% |
The 10 locations below account for 19% of the crime recorded in Shildon & Dene Valley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (183).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 183 |
| On or near High Street | 47 |
| On or near Close House | 46 |
| On or near Dent Street | 44 |
| On or near Oxford Street | 40 |
| On or near Edward Street | 39 |
| On or near John Street | 39 |
| On or near Royal George Close | 39 |
| On or near Pine Tree Crescent | 37 |
| On or near Drake Avenue | 36 |
Of the 2,424 crimes in Shildon & Dene Valley with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 535 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,049 | 43.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 841 | 34.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 201 | 8.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 100 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 63 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 53 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 41 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Shildon & Dene Valley has an estimated population of 18,484 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (20%, against 34%) and fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shildon & Dene Valley average decile 1.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Shildon & Dene Valley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 26.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 63.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Shildon & Dene Valley a safe place to live?
Shildon & Dene Valley recorded 160.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 367th 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 Shildon & Dene Valley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,060 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (535).
Is crime in Shildon & Dene Valley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shildon & Dene Valley was up 8% on the year before: 2,959 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,749 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shildon & Dene Valley?
About 18,484 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shildon & Dene Valley?
Shildon & Dene Valley 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.