Crime in Washington West: statistics, rates and trends
736 crimes were recorded in Washington West in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 17% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Washington West at a glance
- Crime trends in Washington West
- Types of crime in Washington West
- Washington West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Washington West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Washington West
- Demographics of Washington West
- Questions about crime in Washington West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (179), shoplifting (140) and anti-social behaviour (122) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,490th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Washington West | Sunderland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 736 | 28,197 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.5 | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -17% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 11,589 | 288,606 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Washington West of any year here (736 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 42%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 736 | 63.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 887 | 76.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,026 | 88.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,184 | 102.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,005 | 86.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,031 | 89.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,156 | 99.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,267 | 109.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,269 | 109.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 59 |
| July 2026 | 75 |
| June 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 63 |
| April 2026 | 82 |
| March 2026 | 49 |
| February 2026 | 32 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 55 |
| November 2025 | 70 |
| October 2025 | 77 |
| September 2025 | 93 |
Compared with England and Wales, Washington West recorded notably more shoplifting (43% above the national rate) and burglary (34% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (55% below) and public order (49% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 114 to 140, while public order fell from 65 to 39 and other theft fell from 62 to 38.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 179 | 15.4 | 34.2 | -35% |
| Shoplifting | 140 | 12.1 | 8.5 | +23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 122 | 10.5 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 58 | 5.0 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Burglary | 55 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 48 | 4.1 | 5.0 | -17% |
| Public order | 39 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -40% |
| Other theft | 38 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -39% |
| Other crime | 27 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Drugs | 9 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Washington West; the highest is Washington North (125.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Washington East (54.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Washington West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington North | 1,373 | 125.5 | +98% |
| Washington Central | 1,120 | 104.8 | +65% |
| Washington South | 640 | 67.1 | +6% |
| Washington East | 714 | 54.9 | -14% |
| Shiney Row | 811 | 72.0 | +13% |
| Castle | 1,262 | 111.9 | +76% |
| St Anne's | 912 | 87.3 | +38% |
| Redhill | 1,130 | 96.4 | +52% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Washington West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Moorside” (66).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Moorside | 66 |
| On or near Elterwater | 38 |
| On or near Albany Way | 37 |
| On or near Grousemoor | 35 |
| On or near Cragside Road | 26 |
| On or near Parking Area | 25 |
| On or near Donvale Road | 22 |
| On or near Blencathra | 15 |
| On or near Peareth Hall Road | 15 |
| On or near Arklecrag | 13 |
Of the 614 crimes in Washington West with a recorded outcome, 51% 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 122 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 311 | 50.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 148 | 24.1% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 138 | 22.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4 | 0.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
Washington West has an estimated population of 11,589 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (11%, against 20%), fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%) and more social housing (22%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Washington West average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Washington West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Washington West a safe place to live?
Washington West recorded 63.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,490th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Washington West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 179 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (140).
Is crime in Washington West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Washington West was down 17% on the year before: 736 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 887 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Washington West?
About 11,589 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Washington West?
Washington West 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.