Crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner: statistics, rates and trends
641 crimes were recorded in Westbourne & Poets' Corner in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner at a glance
- Crime trends in Westbourne & Poets' Corner
- Types of crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner
- Westbourne & Poets' Corner compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner
- What happened after crimes were reported in Westbourne & Poets' Corner
- Demographics of Westbourne & Poets' Corner
- Questions about crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (186), anti-social behaviour (140) and shoplifting (79) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,575th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Westbourne & Poets' Corner | Brighton and Hove | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 641 | 35,519 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.0 | 125.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 10,500 | 283,870 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner peaked in the year to August 2021 (809 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (584). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 641 | 61.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 745 | 71.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 704 | 67.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 584 | 55.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 686 | 65.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 809 | 77.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 743 | 70.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 801 | 76.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 770 | 73.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 62 |
| July 2026 | 68 |
| June 2026 | 72 |
| May 2026 | 49 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| March 2026 | 65 |
| February 2026 | 48 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 37 |
| November 2025 | 43 |
| October 2025 | 60 |
| September 2025 | 50 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (52% below) and violence and sexual offences (48% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 42 to 55, while other theft fell from 59 to 40 and shoplifting fell from 108 to 79.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 186 | 17.7 | 34.2 | -24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 140 | 13.3 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 79 | 7.5 | 8.5 | -27% |
| Public order | 55 | 5.2 | 6.7 | +31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 42 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 40 | 3.8 | 6.4 | -32% |
| Vehicle crime | 25 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -19% |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 1.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 13 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Westbourne & Poets' Corner; the highest is Regency (631.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Westdene & Hove Park (50.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Westbourne & Poets' Corner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Hove | 1,530 | 128.6 | +111% |
| Wish | 823 | 82.1 | +35% |
| Goldsmid | 915 | 63.3 | +4% |
| Hangleton & Knoll | 1,305 | 84.9 | +39% |
| Brunswick & Adelaide | 900 | 87.8 | +44% |
| Westdene & Hove Park | 803 | 50.0 | -18% |
| South Portslade | 1,211 | 119.5 | +96% |
| Regency | 6,318 | 631.1 | +934% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Westbourne & Poets' Corner over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (94).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 94 |
| On or near School Road | 46 |
| On or near Alpine Road | 30 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 28 |
| On or near Scott Road | 27 |
| On or near Westbourne Villas | 25 |
| On or near Sackville Road | 22 |
| On or near Cowper Street | 21 |
| On or near Shelley Road | 21 |
| On or near Coleridge Street | 19 |
Of the 501 crimes in Westbourne & Poets' Corner with a recorded outcome, 52% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% 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 | 261 | 52.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 143 | 28.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 43 | 8.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Westbourne & Poets' Corner has an estimated population of 10,500 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (34%, against 20%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (53%, against 34%) and less social housing (7.9%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Westbourne & Poets' Corner average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Westbourne & Poets' Corner | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 53.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 33.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 33.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Westbourne & Poets' Corner a safe place to live?
Westbourne & Poets' Corner recorded 61.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,575th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 186 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (140).
Is crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner going up or down?
Recorded crime in Westbourne & Poets' Corner was down 14% on the year before: 641 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 745 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Westbourne & Poets' Corner?
About 10,500 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Westbourne & Poets' Corner?
Westbourne & Poets' Corner is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.