Crime in Bishop Auckland: statistics, rates and trends
4,394 crimes were recorded in Bishop Auckland in the 12 months to August 2026, 203.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bishop Auckland at a glance
- Crime trends in Bishop Auckland
- Types of crime in Bishop Auckland
- Bishop Auckland compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bishop Auckland
- Streets with the most crime in Bishop Auckland
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bishop Auckland
- Demographics of Bishop Auckland
- Questions about crime in Bishop Auckland
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,225), anti-social behaviour (943) and shoplifting (760) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 10th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bishop Auckland | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,394 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 203.7 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 21,572 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Bishop Auckland of any year here (4,394 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,394 | 203.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,019 | 186.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,956 | 183.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,563 | 165.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,914 | 181.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,755 | 174.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,306 | 199.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,020 | 186.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,235 | 196.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 411 |
| July 2026 | 462 |
| June 2026 | 426 |
| May 2026 | 385 |
| April 2026 | 382 |
| March 2026 | 379 |
| February 2026 | 316 |
| January 2026 | 355 |
| December 2025 | 299 |
| November 2025 | 290 |
| October 2025 | 369 |
| September 2025 | 320 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bishop Auckland recorded notably more shoplifting (4.2 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (3.3 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (2.8 times the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (34% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 23 to 36 and shoplifting rose from 501 to 760.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,225 | 56.8 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 943 | 43.7 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 760 | 35.2 | 8.5 | +52% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 482 | 22.3 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Public order | 271 | 12.6 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Burglary | 152 | 7.0 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Other theft | 148 | 6.9 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Vehicle crime | 126 | 5.8 | 5.0 | +27% |
| Other crime | 120 | 5.6 | 2.1 | +32% |
| Drugs | 73 | 3.4 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Possession of weapons | 36 | 1.7 | 1.0 | +57% |
| Robbery | 26 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 24 | 1.1 | 1.7 | +20% |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Bishop Auckland has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bishop Auckland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shildon | 1,823 | 169.9 | -17% |
| Willington (County Durham) | 967 | 151.1 | -26% |
| Newton Aycliffe | 3,537 | 133.6 | -34% |
| Spennymoor | 2,879 | 160.5 | -21% |
| Crook | 1,197 | 134.3 | -34% |
| Ferryhill | 1,489 | 177.0 | -13% |
| Brandon (County Durham) | 1,047 | 113.8 | -44% |
| Esh Winning | 527 | 99.4 | -51% |
Of the 2 areas within Bishop Auckland, Bishop Auckland had the highest crime rate (194.8 per 1,000) and West Auckland the lowest (154.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Auckland | Neighbourhood | 16,618 | 3,238 | 194.8 |
| West Auckland | Neighbourhood | 11,655 | 1,796 | 154.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Bishop Auckland over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (693).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 693 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 376 |
| On or near Parking Area | 162 |
| On or near A6072 | 114 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 64 |
| On or near Market Place | 62 |
| On or near Laburnum Grove | 53 |
| On or near Weardale Drive | 50 |
| On or near Boddy Street | 47 |
| On or near Taylor Square | 46 |
Of the 3,451 crimes in Bishop Auckland with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 943 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,239 | 35.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,194 | 34.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 322 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 252 | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 153 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 79 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 70 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 45 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 31 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 25 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 22 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 18 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Bishop Auckland has an estimated population of 21,572 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%), more residents with no qualifications (24%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (24%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bishop Auckland average decile 3.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bishop Auckland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 26.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bishop Auckland a safe place to live?
Bishop Auckland recorded 203.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 10th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Bishop Auckland?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,225 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (943).
Is crime in Bishop Auckland going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bishop Auckland was up 9% on the year before: 4,394 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,019 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bishop Auckland?
About 21,572 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bishop Auckland?
Bishop Auckland is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.