Crime in Backworth: statistics, rates and trends
335 crimes were recorded in Backworth in the 12 months to August 2026, 66.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (84), shoplifting (67) and anti-social behaviour (58) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 836th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Backworth | North Tyneside | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 335 | 19,252 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 66.6 | 89.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -12% | -1% |
| Population | 5,028 | 215,025 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Backworth peaked in the year to August 2024 (479 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (212). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 58%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 335 | 66.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 359 | 71.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 479 | 95.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 319 | 63.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 289 | 57.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 279 | 55.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 341 | 67.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 267 | 53.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 212 | 42.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 30 |
| July 2026 | 33 |
| June 2026 | 28 |
| May 2026 | 23 |
| April 2026 | 32 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 18 |
| January 2026 | 9 |
| December 2025 | 34 |
| November 2025 | 40 |
| October 2025 | 33 |
| September 2025 | 29 |
Compared with England and Wales, Backworth recorded notably more shoplifting (58% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (51% below) and other theft (32% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 47 to 67, while public order fell from 40 to 27 and other theft fell from 29 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 84 | 16.7 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 67 | 13.3 | 8.5 | +43% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 58 | 11.5 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Public order | 27 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 24 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Other theft | 22 | 4.4 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Burglary | 17 | 3.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 3.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 1.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Backworth; the highest is Tynemouth (117.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Wideopen (48.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Backworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiremoor | 541 | 84.1 | +26% |
| Killingworth | 641 | 65.1 | -2% |
| Longbenton | 1,950 | 73.2 | +10% |
| Seaton Delaval | 745 | 91.9 | +38% |
| Wallsend | 4,702 | 98.4 | +48% |
| Whitley Bay | 2,415 | 65.4 | -2% |
| Tynemouth | 7,213 | 117.1 | +76% |
| Wideopen | 496 | 48.1 | -28% |
The 10 locations below account for 73% of the crime recorded in Backworth over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (84).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 84 |
| On or near Castle Square | 32 |
| On or near Station Road | 32 |
| On or near Algernon Drive | 17 |
| On or near A186 | 16 |
| On or near Bayfield | 14 |
| On or near Harlebury | 13 |
| On or near Meadow Vale | 13 |
| On or near Sharnford Close | 12 |
| On or near Killingworth Avenue | 10 |
Of the 277 crimes in Backworth with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 58 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 130 | 46.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 75 | 27.1% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 65 | 23.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 1 | 0.4% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1 | 0.4% | 34.5% |
Backworth has an estimated population of 5,028 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (9.0%, against 23.3%), fewer residents with no qualifications (8.8%, against 18.2%) and a younger population (9.7%, against 18.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Backworth average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Backworth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 73.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 11.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 46.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 8.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Backworth a safe place to live?
Backworth recorded 66.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 836th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Backworth?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 84 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (67).
Is crime in Backworth going up or down?
Recorded crime in Backworth was down 7% on the year before: 335 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 359 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Backworth?
About 5,028 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.7% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Backworth?
Backworth 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.