Crime in Birtley: statistics, rates and trends
1,151 crimes were recorded in Birtley in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 23% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (345), anti-social behaviour (255) and criminal damage and arson (118) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 657th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Birtley | Gateshead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,151 | 19,271 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.7 | 95.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -23% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 14,812 | 202,760 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Birtley of any year here (1,151 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 44%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,151 | 77.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,493 | 100.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,343 | 90.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,566 | 105.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,871 | 126.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,970 | 133.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,963 | 132.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,940 | 131.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,042 | 137.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 93 |
| July 2026 | 73 |
| June 2026 | 94 |
| May 2026 | 125 |
| April 2026 | 89 |
| March 2026 | 97 |
| February 2026 | 70 |
| January 2026 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 120 |
| November 2025 | 119 |
| October 2025 | 117 |
| September 2025 | 108 |
Compared with England and Wales, Birtley recorded notably more other crime (88% above the national rate) and burglary (29% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (56% below) and other theft (34% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 220 to 255, while shoplifting fell from 174 to 55 and violence and sexual offences fell from 506 to 345.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 345 | 23.3 | 34.2 | -32% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 255 | 17.2 | 15.4 | +16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 118 | 8.0 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Vehicle crime | 76 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Public order | 74 | 5.0 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Burglary | 68 | 4.6 | 3.6 | -31% |
| Other theft | 63 | 4.3 | 6.4 | -30% |
| Other crime | 59 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 55 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -68% |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Birtley; the highest is Stanley (County Durham) (160.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Shiney Row and Penshaw (60.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Birtley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelton and Ouston | 586 | 95.9 | +23% |
| Washington | 4,434 | 84.5 | +9% |
| Chester-le-Street | 2,713 | 112.2 | +44% |
| Gateshead | 12,182 | 105.0 | +35% |
| Shiney Row and Penshaw | 1,094 | 60.1 | -23% |
| Fence Houses | 366 | 60.2 | -23% |
| Stanley (County Durham) | 3,177 | 160.9 | +107% |
| Whickham | 1,404 | 90.5 | +16% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Birtley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (56).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 56 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 51 |
| On or near Lavers Road | 43 |
| On or near Durham Road | 42 |
| On or near Beaconsfield Terrace | 41 |
| On or near Lansbury Close | 30 |
| On or near Holyoake Gardens | 28 |
| On or near York Road | 26 |
| On or near Devon Crescent | 25 |
| On or near Pine Street | 22 |
Of the 896 crimes in Birtley with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 255 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 390 | 43.5% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 262 | 29.2% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 213 | 23.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 8 | 0.9% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 0.8% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 0.1% | 3.1% |
Birtley has an estimated population of 14,812 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (28%, against 17%), less private renting (12%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Birtley average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Birtley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 12.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Birtley a safe place to live?
Birtley recorded 77.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 657th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Birtley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 345 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (255).
Is crime in Birtley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Birtley was down 23% on the year before: 1,151 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,493 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Birtley?
About 14,812 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Birtley?
Birtley 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.