Crime in Blyth (Northumberland): statistics, rates and trends
5,004 crimes were recorded in Blyth (Northumberland) in the 12 months to August 2026, 122.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Blyth (Northumberland) at a glance
- Crime trends in Blyth (Northumberland)
- Types of crime in Blyth (Northumberland)
- Blyth (Northumberland) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Blyth (Northumberland)
- Streets with the most crime in Blyth (Northumberland)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Blyth (Northumberland)
- Demographics of Blyth (Northumberland)
- Questions about crime in Blyth (Northumberland)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,406), anti-social behaviour (1,051) and shoplifting (846) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 158th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Blyth (Northumberland) | Northumberland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,004 | 25,844 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 122.8 | 78.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -14% | -1% |
| Population | 40,750 | 331,420 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Blyth (Northumberland) of any year here (5,004 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,004 | 122.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,694 | 139.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,436 | 157.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 6,341 | 155.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,158 | 151.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 6,450 | 158.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,525 | 160.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,326 | 179.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,591 | 186.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 564 |
| July 2026 | 517 |
| June 2026 | 429 |
| May 2026 | 455 |
| April 2026 | 402 |
| March 2026 | 375 |
| February 2026 | 251 |
| January 2026 | 157 |
| December 2025 | 428 |
| November 2025 | 452 |
| October 2025 | 461 |
| September 2025 | 513 |
Compared with England and Wales, Blyth (Northumberland) recorded notably more shoplifting (2.5 times the national rate), other crime (2.0 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (68% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (61% below) and other theft (26% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 26 to 57 and theft from the person rose from 20 to 27, while drugs fell from 191 to 99 and criminal damage and arson fell from 564 to 415.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,406 | 34.5 | 34.2 | -26% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,051 | 25.8 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 846 | 20.8 | 8.5 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 415 | 10.2 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Public order | 309 | 7.6 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Other theft | 194 | 4.8 | 6.4 | -22% |
| Burglary | 173 | 4.2 | 3.6 | -20% |
| Other crime | 169 | 4.1 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 162 | 4.0 | 5.0 | +15% |
| Drugs | 99 | 2.4 | 3.3 | -48% |
| Robbery | 57 | 1.4 | 1.4 | +119% |
| Possession of weapons | 51 | 1.3 | 1.0 | -19% |
| Bicycle theft | 45 | 1.1 | 0.8 | -15% |
| Theft from the person | 27 | 0.7 | 1.7 | +35% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Blyth (Northumberland) has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Blyth (Northumberland) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedlington | 1,578 | 88.4 | -28% |
| Cramlington | 2,694 | 84.4 | -31% |
| Seaton Delaval | 745 | 91.9 | -25% |
| Stakeford | 641 | 86.2 | -30% |
| Ashington (Northumberland) | 3,523 | 117.1 | -5% |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | 679 | 116.1 | -5% |
| Backworth | 335 | 66.6 | -46% |
| Whitley Bay | 2,415 | 65.4 | -47% |
Of the 8 areas within Blyth (Northumberland), Croft had the highest crime rate (238.0 per 1,000) and Plessey the lowest (33.6), 7 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croft | Neighbourhood | 6,181 | 1,471 | 238.0 |
| Newsham | Neighbourhood | 6,246 | 863 | 138.2 |
| Isabella | Neighbourhood | 6,731 | 887 | 131.8 |
| Cowpen | Neighbourhood | 6,840 | 693 | 101.3 |
| Wensleydale | Neighbourhood | 3,177 | 315 | 99.2 |
| South Blyth | Neighbourhood | 5,031 | 474 | 94.2 |
| Bebside & Kitty Brewster | Neighbourhood | 4,509 | 233 | 51.7 |
| Plessey | Neighbourhood | 3,008 | 101 | 33.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Blyth (Northumberland) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (375).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 375 |
| On or near Supermarket | 348 |
| On or near Parking Area | 141 |
| On or near Oberon Way | 126 |
| On or near B1328 | 90 |
| On or near Dolphin Grove | 84 |
| On or near Puffin Close | 66 |
| On or near Elliott Street | 65 |
| On or near Back Croft Road | 63 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 63 |
Of the 3,953 crimes in Blyth (Northumberland) with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,051 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under investigation | 1,389 | 35.1% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,288 | 32.6% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,017 | 25.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 173 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 47 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 23 | 0.6% | 34.5% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.0% | 1.3% |
Blyth (Northumberland) has an estimated population of 40,750 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (26%, against 17%), fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Blyth (Northumberland) average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Blyth (Northumberland) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 35.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Blyth (Northumberland) a safe place to live?
Blyth (Northumberland) recorded 122.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 158th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Blyth (Northumberland)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,406 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,051).
Is crime in Blyth (Northumberland) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Blyth (Northumberland) was down 12% on the year before: 5,004 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,694 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Blyth (Northumberland)?
About 40,750 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Blyth (Northumberland)?
Blyth (Northumberland) 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.