Crime in South Blyth: statistics, rates and trends
474 crimes were recorded in South Blyth in the 12 months to August 2026, 94.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 25% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Blyth at a glance
- Crime trends in South Blyth
- Types of crime in South Blyth
- South Blyth compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South Blyth
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Blyth
- Demographics of South Blyth
- Questions about crime in South Blyth
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (167), shoplifting (155) and violence and sexual offences (63) made up 81% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,388th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | South Blyth | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 474 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 94.2 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +25% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 5,031 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in South Blyth of any year here (474 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 60%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 474 | 94.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 379 | 75.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 234 | 46.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 206 | 40.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 183 | 36.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 247 | 49.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 230 | 45.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 218 | 43.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 296 | 58.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 59 |
| July 2026 | 45 |
| June 2026 | 47 |
| May 2026 | 40 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 35 |
| February 2026 | 33 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 28 |
| November 2025 | 45 |
| October 2025 | 53 |
| September 2025 | 45 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Blyth recorded notably more shoplifting (3.6 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (2.2 times the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (63% below) and criminal damage and arson (35% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 53 to 155 and anti-social behaviour rose from 140 to 167, while criminal damage and arson fell from 30 to 22 and violence and sexual offences fell from 83 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 167 | 33.2 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 155 | 30.8 | 8.5 | +192% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 63 | 12.5 | 34.2 | -24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 22 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Vehicle crime | 16 | 3.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 2.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 13 | 2.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 9 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 7 | 1.4 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than South Blyth; the highest is Croft, Northumberland (238.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Plessey (33.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Blyth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plessey | 101 | 33.6 | -64% |
| Isabella | 887 | 131.8 | +40% |
| Wensleydale | 315 | 99.2 | +5% |
| Newsham | 863 | 138.2 | +47% |
| Croft | 1,471 | 238.0 | +153% |
| Cowpen | 693 | 101.3 | +8% |
| Bebside & Kitty Brewster | 233 | 51.7 | -45% |
| Hartley | 312 | 64.4 | -32% |
The 10 locations below account for 78% of the crime recorded in South Blyth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Oberon Way” (126).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oberon Way | 126 |
| On or near Dolphin Grove | 84 |
| On or near Puffin Close | 66 |
| On or near Eider Close | 27 |
| On or near Admiral Court | 16 |
| On or near A1061 | 12 |
| On or near Hadrian Road | 11 |
| On or near Nixon Terrace | 11 |
| On or near Wensleydale Terrace | 9 |
| On or near Rotary Way | 8 |
Of the 307 crimes in South Blyth with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 167 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under investigation | 109 | 35.5% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 105 | 34.2% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 66 | 21.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 22 | 7.2% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 0.7% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2 | 0.7% | 34.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
South Blyth has an estimated population of 5,031 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (4.3%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (9.0%, against 23.3%) and less private renting (10%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Blyth average decile 9.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | South Blyth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 85.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 4.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is South Blyth a safe place to live?
South Blyth recorded 94.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,388th 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 South Blyth?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 167 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (155).
Is crime in South Blyth going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Blyth was up 25% on the year before: 474 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 379 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Blyth?
About 5,031 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Blyth?
South Blyth is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.