Crime in Wardley and Leam Lane: statistics, rates and trends
720 crimes were recorded in Wardley and Leam Lane in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wardley and Leam Lane at a glance
- Crime trends in Wardley and Leam Lane
- Types of crime in Wardley and Leam Lane
- Wardley and Leam Lane compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wardley and Leam Lane
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wardley and Leam Lane
- Demographics of Wardley and Leam Lane
- Questions about crime in Wardley and Leam Lane
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (235), anti-social behaviour (140) and shoplifting (72) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,755th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Wardley and Leam Lane | Gateshead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 720 | 19,271 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.1 | 95.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 8,766 | 202,760 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Wardley and Leam Lane of any year here (720 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 720 | 82.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 812 | 92.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 869 | 99.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 888 | 101.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 798 | 91.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 791 | 90.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 824 | 94.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,001 | 114.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 854 | 97.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 65 |
| July 2026 | 80 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 64 |
| April 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 45 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 72 |
| November 2025 | 63 |
| October 2025 | 94 |
| September 2025 | 79 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wardley and Leam Lane recorded notably more other crime (73% above the national rate) and burglary (32% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (47% below) and other theft (26% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 55 to 72 and burglary rose from 32 to 41, while public order fell from 86 to 52 and criminal damage and arson fell from 79 to 57.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 235 | 26.8 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 140 | 16.0 | 15.4 | -7% |
| Shoplifting | 72 | 8.2 | 8.5 | +31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 57 | 6.5 | 6.7 | -28% |
| Public order | 52 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -40% |
| Other theft | 42 | 4.8 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Burglary | 41 | 4.7 | 3.6 | +28% |
| Other crime | 32 | 3.7 | 2.1 | +23% |
| Vehicle crime | 23 | 2.6 | 5.0 | -23% |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wardley and Leam Lane; the highest is Bridges (217.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Low Fell (45.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wardley and Leam Lane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelaw and Heworth | 627 | 76.0 | -7% |
| Windy Nook and Whitehills | 763 | 81.8 | 0% |
| Felling | 918 | 120.3 | +46% |
| High Fell | 1,390 | 142.5 | +74% |
| Deckham | 846 | 87.2 | +6% |
| Low Fell | 434 | 45.1 | -45% |
| Chowdene | 1,167 | 146.5 | +78% |
| Bridges | 2,786 | 217.6 | +165% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Wardley and Leam Lane over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (82).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 82 |
| On or near Prince George Square | 76 |
| On or near Staindrop | 48 |
| On or near Meresyde | 36 |
| On or near Hopedene | 33 |
| On or near Chevington | 32 |
| On or near Alderwyk | 20 |
| On or near Falstone | 20 |
| On or near Cropthorne | 18 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 18 |
Of the 580 crimes in Wardley and Leam Lane with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 140 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 237 | 40.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 171 | 29.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 155 | 26.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 0.3% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 0.2% | 3.1% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1 | 0.2% | 34.5% |
Wardley and Leam Lane has an estimated population of 8,766 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (9.4%, against 20.3%), more social housing (25%, against 17%) and fewer students (5.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wardley and Leam Lane average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Wardley and Leam Lane | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wardley and Leam Lane a safe place to live?
Wardley and Leam Lane recorded 82.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,755th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Wardley and Leam Lane?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 235 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (140).
Is crime in Wardley and Leam Lane going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wardley and Leam Lane was down 11% on the year before: 720 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 812 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wardley and Leam Lane?
About 8,766 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wardley and Leam Lane?
Wardley and Leam Lane 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.