Crime in Washington East: statistics, rates and trends
714 crimes were recorded in Washington East in the 12 months to August 2026, 54.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Washington East at a glance
- Crime trends in Washington East
- Types of crime in Washington East
- Washington East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Washington East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Washington East
- Demographics of Washington East
- Questions about crime in Washington East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (205), anti-social behaviour (127) and shoplifting (101) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,828th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Washington East | Sunderland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 714 | 28,197 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.9 | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 12,999 | 288,606 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Washington East of any year here (714 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 714 | 54.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 848 | 65.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 921 | 70.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,139 | 87.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 927 | 71.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,087 | 83.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,072 | 82.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 992 | 76.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 951 | 73.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 55 |
| July 2026 | 75 |
| June 2026 | 40 |
| May 2026 | 83 |
| April 2026 | 60 |
| March 2026 | 64 |
| February 2026 | 46 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 64 |
| November 2025 | 67 |
| October 2025 | 72 |
| September 2025 | 67 |
Compared with England and Wales, Washington East recorded notably more other crime (38% above the national rate), and notably less public order (61% below) and other theft (58% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 54 to 101 and other crime rose from 31 to 38, while vehicle crime fell from 59 to 33 and public order fell from 60 to 34.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 205 | 15.8 | 34.2 | -30% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 127 | 9.8 | 15.4 | -21% |
| Shoplifting | 101 | 7.8 | 8.5 | +87% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 66 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Burglary | 52 | 4.0 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Other crime | 38 | 2.9 | 2.1 | +23% |
| Other theft | 35 | 2.7 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Public order | 34 | 2.6 | 6.7 | -43% |
| Vehicle crime | 33 | 2.5 | 5.0 | -44% |
| Drugs | 10 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Washington East.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Washington East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Central | 1,120 | 104.8 | +91% |
| Washington South | 640 | 67.1 | +22% |
| Shiney Row | 811 | 72.0 | +31% |
| Washington North | 1,373 | 125.5 | +128% |
| Washington West | 736 | 63.5 | +16% |
| St Anne's | 912 | 87.3 | +59% |
| Houghton | 1,121 | 73.8 | +34% |
| Sandhill | 958 | 90.4 | +65% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Washington East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Craggs Road” (84).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Craggs Road | 84 |
| On or near Parking Area | 39 |
| On or near Horsley Road | 32 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 31 |
| On or near Stockley Road | 30 |
| On or near Supermarket | 29 |
| On or near Chandlers Ford | 21 |
| On or near Waskerley Road | 18 |
| On or near Biddick Lane | 17 |
| On or near Station Road | 16 |
Of the 587 crimes in Washington East with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.5% 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 | 230 | 39.2% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 168 | 28.6% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 160 | 27.3% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 6 | 1.0% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 0.5% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 0.2% | 3.1% |
Washington East has an estimated population of 12,999 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (9.7%, against 20.3%), fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Washington East average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Washington East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Washington East a safe place to live?
Washington East recorded 54.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,828th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Washington East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 205 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (127).
Is crime in Washington East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Washington East was down 16% on the year before: 714 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 848 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Washington East?
About 12,999 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Washington East?
Washington East 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.