Crime in Bedlington: statistics, rates and trends
1,578 crimes were recorded in Bedlington in the 12 months to August 2026, 88.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 17% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bedlington at a glance
- Crime trends in Bedlington
- Types of crime in Bedlington
- Bedlington compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bedlington
- Streets with the most crime in Bedlington
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bedlington
- Demographics of Bedlington
- Questions about crime in Bedlington
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (530), anti-social behaviour (340) and shoplifting (189) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 493rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Bedlington | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,578 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 88.4 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -17% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 17,857 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Bedlington of any year here (1,578 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 | 1,578 | 88.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,907 | 106.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,979 | 110.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,213 | 123.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,275 | 127.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,314 | 129.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,562 | 143.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,601 | 145.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,700 | 151.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 144 |
| July 2026 | 118 |
| June 2026 | 125 |
| May 2026 | 150 |
| April 2026 | 147 |
| March 2026 | 115 |
| February 2026 | 99 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 145 |
| November 2025 | 174 |
| October 2025 | 158 |
| September 2025 | 161 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bedlington recorded notably more other crime (70% above the national rate) and shoplifting (25% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (65% below) and burglary (56% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 30 to 39, while burglary fell from 51 to 28 and vehicle crime fell from 54 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 530 | 29.7 | 34.2 | -29% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 340 | 19.0 | 15.4 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 189 | 10.6 | 8.5 | +2% |
| Public order | 132 | 7.4 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 122 | 6.8 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Other theft | 68 | 3.8 | 6.4 | -37% |
| Other crime | 64 | 3.6 | 2.1 | -3% |
| Drugs | 39 | 2.2 | 3.3 | +30% |
| Vehicle crime | 31 | 1.7 | 5.0 | -43% |
| Burglary | 28 | 1.6 | 3.6 | -45% |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bedlington; the highest is Blyth (Northumberland) (122.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Wideopen (48.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bedlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stakeford | 641 | 86.2 | -2% |
| Blyth (Northumberland) | 5,004 | 122.8 | +39% |
| Ashington (Northumberland) | 3,523 | 117.1 | +33% |
| Cramlington | 2,694 | 84.4 | -4% |
| Morpeth | 1,327 | 80.3 | -9% |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 679 | 116.1 | +31% |
| Seaton Delaval | 745 | 91.9 | +4% |
| Wideopen | 496 | 48.1 | -46% |
Of the 3 areas within Bedlington, Bedlington Central had the highest crime rate (123.1 per 1,000) and Bedlington West the lowest (36.7), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedlington Central | Neighbourhood | 5,386 | 663 | 123.1 |
| Bedlington East | Neighbourhood | 5,922 | 538 | 90.8 |
| Bedlington West | Neighbourhood | 4,935 | 181 | 36.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Bedlington over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (141).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 141 |
| On or near Kyloe Place | 75 |
| On or near Vulcan Place | 72 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 54 |
| On or near Wood Lane | 53 |
| On or near A193 | 52 |
| On or near Parking Area | 50 |
| On or near Wallington Close | 42 |
| On or near Mansion Court | 30 |
| On or near Front Street West | 29 |
Of the 1,238 crimes in Bedlington with a recorded outcome, 30% 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 340 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status update unavailable | 405 | 32.7% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 390 | 31.5% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 369 | 29.8% | 35.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 40 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 0.9% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 10 | 0.8% | 34.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 0.2% | 3.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 3 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Bedlington has an estimated population of 17,857 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (27%, against 22%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bedlington average decile 4.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bedlington | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 15.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bedlington a safe place to live?
Bedlington recorded 88.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 493rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Bedlington?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 530 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (340).
Is crime in Bedlington going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bedlington was down 17% on the year before: 1,578 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,907 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bedlington?
About 17,857 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bedlington?
Bedlington 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.