Crime in the Durham Police area: statistics, rates and trends
79,033 crimes were recorded in the Durham Police area in the 12 months to August 2026, 121.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in the Durham Police area at a glance
- Crime trends in the Durham Police area
- Types of crime in the Durham Police area
- Home Office recorded crime in the Durham Police area
- The Durham Police area compared with nearby police force areas
- Areas within the Durham Police area
- What happened after crimes were reported in the Durham Police area
- Demographics of the Durham Police area
- Questions about crime in the Durham Police area
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (26,564), anti-social behaviour (15,333) and criminal damage and arson (9,288) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 4th of the 41 police force areas covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | the Durham Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 79,033 | 5,311,106 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 121.5 | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 650,500 | 54,941,057 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in the Durham Police area peaked in the year to August 2020 (82,432 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (72,934). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 79,033 | 121.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 72,934 | 112.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 73,614 | 113.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 77,840 | 119.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 78,119 | 120.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 75,695 | 116.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 82,432 | 126.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 79,176 | 121.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 81,255 | 124.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 7,315 |
| July 2026 | 7,876 |
| June 2026 | 7,017 |
| May 2026 | 7,350 |
| April 2026 | 6,767 |
| March 2026 | 6,735 |
| February 2026 | 5,689 |
| January 2026 | 5,663 |
| December 2025 | 5,835 |
| November 2025 | 6,104 |
| October 2025 | 6,584 |
| September 2025 | 6,098 |
Compared with England and Wales, the Durham Police area recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.1 times the national rate), other crime (78% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (53% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (78% below) and bicycle theft (56% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 299 to 440 and vehicle crime rose from 2,357 to 2,752, while bicycle theft fell from 292 to 236.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 26,564 | 40.8 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 15,333 | 23.6 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9,288 | 14.3 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 8,070 | 12.4 | 8.5 | +17% |
| Public order | 4,913 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Other theft | 3,725 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Burglary | 3,088 | 4.7 | 3.6 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 2,752 | 4.2 | 5.0 | +17% |
| Other crime | 2,452 | 3.8 | 2.1 | +15% |
| Drugs | 1,320 | 2.0 | 3.3 | -15% |
| Possession of weapons | 606 | 0.9 | 1.0 | +16% |
| Robbery | 440 | 0.7 | 1.4 | +47% |
| Theft from the person | 246 | 0.4 | 1.7 | +13% |
| Bicycle theft | 236 | 0.4 | 0.8 | -19% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
59,558 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in the Durham Police area in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 91.6 per 1,000 residents, close to the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was almost unchanged on the year ending March 2025 (59,356), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 43 territorial police force areas of England and Wales, the Durham Police area had the 12th highest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 41 force areas with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in the Durham Police area, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 9,764 offences (16% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for arson (2.5 times the national rate), criminal damage (1.8 times the national rate) and miscellaneous crimes against society (1.5 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.14 times), robbery of personal property (0.39 times) and bicycle theft (0.43 times).
The largest rises on the year were in theft from the person (+36%) and possession of weapons (+17%). The largest falls were in non-residential burglary (−32%) and bicycle theft (−29%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 9,764 | 15.0 | 13.2 | 1.14 | +3% |
| Criminal damage | 8,177 | 12.6 | 6.8 | 1.84 | −1% |
| Stalking and harassment | 7,582 | 11.7 | 10.1 | 1.16 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 7,124 | 11.0 | 8.1 | 1.35 | – |
| Violence with injury | 5,628 | 8.7 | 8.1 | 1.06 | +8% |
| Public order offences | 4,670 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 1.03 | +0% |
| Other theft offences | 3,506 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 0.82 | −3% |
| Vehicle offences | 2,357 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 0.72 | −12% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 2,096 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 1.54 | +2% |
| Residential burglary | 2,015 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.24 | −7% |
| Other sexual offences | 1,655 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.12 | +6% |
| Possession of drugs | 1,029 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.63 | +6% |
| Rape | 881 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.12 | +13% |
| Non-residential burglary | 695 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.95 | −32% |
| Arson | 617 | 0.95 | 0.38 | 2.50 | +11% |
| Possession of weapons | 565 | 0.87 | 1.00 | 0.87 | +17% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 384 | 0.59 | 1.2 | 0.50 | −22% |
| Bicycle theft | 238 | 0.37 | 0.85 | 0.43 | −29% |
| Robbery of personal property | 232 | 0.36 | 0.91 | 0.39 | +10% |
| Theft from the person | 163 | 0.25 | 1.8 | 0.14 | +36% |
| Robbery of business property | 155 | 0.24 | 0.47 | 0.50 | – |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 18 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.79 | −18% |
| Homicide | 7 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 1.34 | +250% |
Recorded crime in the Durham Police area since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. The Durham Police area's rate was above the England and Wales rate in 10 of those 14 years and below it in 4. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 59,558 | 91.6 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 59,356 | 91.2 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 64,228 | 98.7 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 63,999 | 98.4 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 59,056 | 90.8 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 55,786 | 85.8 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 64,474 | 99.1 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 63,793 | 98.1 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 61,371 | 94.3 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 46,608 | 71.6 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 36,459 | 56.0 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 32,924 | 50.6 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 32,806 | 50.4 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 29,843 | 45.9 | 56.7 |
Districts in the Durham Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 2 districts in the Durham Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Darlington had the highest rate (91.0 per 1,000) and County Durham the lowest (91.0).
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington | 10,240 | 91.0 | 1.09 |
| County Durham | 48,961 | 91.0 | 1.09 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
1 of the 8 nearest police force areas have a higher crime rate than the Durham Police area; the highest is the Cleveland Police area (156.6 per 1,000) and the lowest the North Yorkshire Police area (72.3).
| Police force area | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs the Durham Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | 94,028 | 156.6 | +29% |
| Northumbria | 146,228 | 96.9 | -20% |
| North Yorkshire | 61,097 | 72.3 | -40% |
| Cumbria | 39,623 | 77.6 | -36% |
| West Yorkshire | 289,490 | 118.9 | -2% |
| Lancashire | 163,902 | 102.3 | -16% |
| Humberside | 98,416 | 102.2 | -16% |
| South Yorkshire | 166,072 | 116.1 | -4% |
Of the 2 areas within the Durham Police area, Darlington had the highest crime rate (126.2 per 1,000) and County Durham the lowest (120.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington | District | 112,489 | 14,196 | 126.2 |
| County Durham | District | 538,011 | 64,837 | 120.5 |
Of the 63,700 crimes in the Durham Police area with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 15,333 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 24,637 | 38.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 20,595 | 32.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 6,427 | 10.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4,234 | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,860 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,836 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1,033 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 975 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 688 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 536 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 422 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 404 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
The Durham Police area has an estimated population of 650,500 (ONS, mid-2024). On the Census 2021 measures below it is close to England and Wales as a whole. On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up the Durham Police area average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | the Durham Police area | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 15.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is the Durham Police area a safe place to live?
The Durham Police area recorded 121.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 4th of the 41 police force areas on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and other crime.
What is the most common crime in the Durham Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 26,564 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (15,333).
Is crime in the Durham Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the Durham Police area was up 8% on the year before: 79,033 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 72,934 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of the Durham Police area?
About 650,500 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
How many crimes did the police record in the Durham Police area in the year ending March 2026?
59,558 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 91.6 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 59,356.
Which offences are more common in the Durham Police area than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were arson (617 offences, 2.5 times the England and Wales rate), criminal damage (8,177 offences, 1.8 times the England and Wales rate) and miscellaneous crimes against society (2,096 offences, 1.5 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.