Crime in Alnwick: statistics, rates and trends
657 crimes were recorded in Alnwick in the 12 months to August 2026, 99.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 39% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (219), anti-social behaviour (125) and shoplifting (73) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 353rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Alnwick | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 657 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 99.6 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -39% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 6,594 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Alnwick of any year here (657 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 30%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 657 | 99.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,071 | 162.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 864 | 131.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 822 | 124.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,016 | 154.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,062 | 161.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 802 | 121.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 855 | 129.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 940 | 142.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 51 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 48 |
| May 2026 | 85 |
| April 2026 | 71 |
| March 2026 | 36 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| November 2025 | 66 |
| October 2025 | 57 |
| September 2025 | 56 |
Compared with England and Wales, Alnwick recorded notably more other crime (2.4 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (60% above the national rate) and public order (37% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (41% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 22 to 34, while other theft fell from 50 to 25 and violence and sexual offences fell from 428 to 219.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 219 | 33.2 | 34.2 | -49% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 125 | 19.0 | 15.4 | -41% |
| Shoplifting | 73 | 11.1 | 8.5 | -36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 71 | 10.8 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Public order | 60 | 9.1 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Other crime | 34 | 5.2 | 2.1 | +55% |
| Other theft | 25 | 3.8 | 6.4 | -50% |
| Drugs | 17 | 2.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 12 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Alnwick; the highest is Blyth (Northumberland) (122.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Morpeth (80.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Alnwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amble | 648 | 97.2 | -2% |
| Ashington (Northumberland) | 3,523 | 117.1 | +18% |
| Morpeth | 1,327 | 80.3 | -19% |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 679 | 116.1 | +17% |
| Stakeford | 641 | 86.2 | -13% |
| Bedlington | 1,578 | 88.4 | -11% |
| Blyth (Northumberland) | 5,004 | 122.8 | +23% |
| Cramlington | 2,694 | 84.4 | -15% |
Of the 2 areas within Alnwick, Alnwick Hotspur had the highest crime rate (103.0 per 1,000) and Alnwick Castle the lowest (73.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alnwick Hotspur | Neighbourhood | 4,834 | 498 | 103.0 |
| Alnwick Castle | Neighbourhood | 3,308 | 242 | 73.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Alnwick over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Cawledge View” and “Parking Area” (47 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Cawledge View | 47 |
| On or near Parking Area | 47 |
| On or near A1068 | 44 |
| On or near Cedar Grove | 41 |
| On or near Supermarket | 31 |
| On or near Sycamore Avenue | 27 |
| On or near Market Street | 20 |
| On or near Upper Barresdale | 17 |
| On or near Pottergate | 16 |
| On or near Clayport Square | 14 |
Of the 532 crimes in Alnwick with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 125 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under investigation | 183 | 34.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 168 | 31.6% | 4.7% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 141 | 26.5% | 35.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 5 | 0.9% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 5 | 0.9% | 34.5% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Alnwick has an estimated population of 6,594 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (32%, against 19%), more social housing (29%, against 17%) and more retired residents (35%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Alnwick average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Alnwick | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 34.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Alnwick a safe place to live?
Alnwick recorded 99.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 353rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Alnwick?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 219 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (125).
Is crime in Alnwick going up or down?
Recorded crime in Alnwick was down 39% on the year before: 657 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,071 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Alnwick?
About 6,594 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Alnwick?
Alnwick 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.