Crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill: statistics, rates and trends
893 crimes were recorded in Thornley & Wheatley Hill in the 12 months to August 2026, 152.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill at a glance
- Crime trends in Thornley & Wheatley Hill
- Types of crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill
- Thornley & Wheatley Hill compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill
- What happened after crimes were reported in Thornley & Wheatley Hill
- Demographics of Thornley & Wheatley Hill
- Questions about crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (226), criminal damage and arson (170) and shoplifting (153) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 419th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Thornley & Wheatley Hill | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 893 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 152.0 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 5,874 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,055 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (767). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 893 | 152.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 854 | 145.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 797 | 135.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 767 | 130.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 812 | 138.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,055 | 179.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 979 | 166.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 925 | 157.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 856 | 145.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 76 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 55 |
| May 2026 | 77 |
| April 2026 | 67 |
| March 2026 | 89 |
| February 2026 | 56 |
| January 2026 | 70 |
| December 2025 | 68 |
| November 2025 | 104 |
| October 2025 | 69 |
| September 2025 | 70 |
Compared with England and Wales, Thornley & Wheatley Hill recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (4.3 times the national rate), shoplifting (3.1 times the national rate) and burglary (92% above the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 79 to 153 and other theft rose from 39 to 52, while other crime fell from 29 to 22 and burglary fell from 48 to 40.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 226 | 38.5 | 34.2 | -16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 170 | 28.9 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 153 | 26.0 | 8.5 | +94% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 127 | 21.6 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Other theft | 52 | 8.9 | 6.4 | +33% |
| Public order | 43 | 7.3 | 6.7 | +26% |
| Burglary | 40 | 6.8 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Vehicle crime | 32 | 5.4 | 5.0 | +19% |
| Other crime | 22 | 3.7 | 2.1 | -24% |
| Drugs | 15 | 2.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Thornley & Wheatley Hill; 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 Thornley & Wheatley Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimdon & Wingate | 1,505 | 126.0 | -17% |
| Easington & Shotton | 2,469 | 142.8 | -6% |
| Castle Eden & Passfield | 572 | 89.4 | -41% |
| Peterlee | 1,753 | 136.6 | -10% |
| Pittington & Sherburn | 385 | 80.2 | -47% |
| Bowburn & Coxhoe | 1,483 | 95.0 | -38% |
| Horden & Dene House | 2,332 | 210.3 | +38% |
| Murton | 1,761 | 161.9 | +7% |
The 10 locations below account for 58% of the crime recorded in Thornley & Wheatley Hill over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Quilstyle Road” (111).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Quilstyle Road | 111 |
| On or near Supermarket | 94 |
| On or near Quetlaw Road | 70 |
| On or near Shakespeare Street | 58 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 37 |
| On or near Moor View | 33 |
| On or near Wordsworth Avenue | 32 |
| On or near Cedar Court | 30 |
| On or near Byron Street | 26 |
| On or near High Street | 26 |
Of the 766 crimes in Thornley & Wheatley Hill with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 10% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 127 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 320 | 41.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 218 | 28.5% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 78 | 10.2% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 62 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 25 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Thornley & Wheatley Hill has an estimated population of 5,874 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%), more social housing (25%, against 17%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Thornley & Wheatley Hill average decile 2.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Thornley & Wheatley Hill | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 28.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 24.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Thornley & Wheatley Hill a safe place to live?
Thornley & Wheatley Hill recorded 152.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 419th 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 shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 226 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (170).
Is crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill going up or down?
Recorded crime in Thornley & Wheatley Hill was up 5% on the year before: 893 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 854 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Thornley & Wheatley Hill?
About 5,874 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Thornley & Wheatley Hill?
Thornley & Wheatley Hill 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.