Crime in Bowburn: statistics, rates and trends

632 crimes were recorded in Bowburn in the 12 months to July 2026, 109.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 28% on the year before.

632 crimes were recorded in Bowburn in the 12 months to July 2026, 109.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 28% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 235 reports (37% of the total).

Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Bowburn has the 267th highest crime rate.

MeasureBowburnCounty DurhamEngland and Wales
Crimes, the 12 months to July 202663264,2385,665,700
Crimes per 1,000 residents109.5119.496.4
Change on previous 12 months+28%+8%-1%
Population5,772538,01158,797,018

Recorded crime in Bowburn was highest in the year to July 2019 (735 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (483). Over the whole period it rose 31%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.

PeriodCrimesPer 1,000England and Wales per 1,000
Year to July 2026632109.596.4
Year to July 202549285.297.1
Year to July 2024599103.897.7
Year to July 2023587101.75.2
Year to July 202257198.9101.3
Year to July 202152791.3102.1
Year to July 2020652113.0101.9
Year to July 2019735127.3101.5
Year to July 201848383.7100.6

Month by month

MonthCrimes
July 202667
June 202680
May 202679
April 202669
March 202640
February 202649
January 202645
December 202546
November 202532
October 202540
September 202549
August 202536

The table shows every category of crime recorded in Bowburn over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson, other crime.

The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+84%) and public order (+59%). The largest falls were in shoplifting (-47%).

Crime typeCrimesPer 1,000Index (E&W = 1.00)Change on year
Violence and sexual offences23540.71.19+41%
Anti-social behaviour17530.31.98+84%
Criminal damage and arson7212.51.84+9%
Public order437.41.12+59%
Shoplifting335.70.69-47%
Other theft223.80.60+120%
Other crime193.31.56+19%
Burglary152.60.73-17%
Vehicle crime81.40.28-47%
Drugs50.90.26-50%
Possession of weapons30.50.54-40%
Bicycle theft10.20.21n/a
Robbery10.20.13+0%

Violence and sexual offences in Bowburn

Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Bowburn recorded 235 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (40.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 41% on the year before. It made up 37.2% of all crime in the area.

Anti-social behaviour in Bowburn

Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Bowburn recorded 175 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (30.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 84% on the year before. It made up 27.7% of all crime in the area.

Criminal damage and arson in Bowburn

Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Bowburn recorded 72 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (12.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 11.4% of all crime in the area.

Public order in Bowburn

Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Bowburn recorded 43 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 59% on the year before. It made up 6.8% of all crime in the area.

Shoplifting in Bowburn

Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Bowburn recorded 33 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 47% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.

Other theft in Bowburn

Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Bowburn recorded 22 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 120% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.

Other crime in Bowburn

Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Bowburn recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 19% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.

Burglary in Bowburn

Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Bowburn recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 2.4% of all crime in the area.

Vehicle crime in Bowburn

Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Bowburn recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 47% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.

Drugs in Bowburn

Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Bowburn recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.

Possession of weapons in Bowburn

Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Bowburn recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 40% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.

Bicycle theft in Bowburn

Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Bowburn recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.

Robbery in Bowburn

Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Bowburn recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.

Crime rates in the towns closest to Bowburn, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Bowburn.

TownCrimesPer 1,000Rate vs Bowburn
Durham6,338128.4+17%
Ferryhill1,466174.2+59%
Spennymoor2,848158.8+45%
Brandon (County Durham)1,079117.3+7%
Ushaw Moor and Bearpark744115.4+5%
Shotton Colliery640125.9+15%
Wingate783134.3+23%
Hetton-le-Hole83985.8-22%

1 areas within Bowburn, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Bowburn & Coxhoe had the highest rate (96.9 per 1,000) and Bowburn & Coxhoe the lowest (96.9). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.

AreaTypePopulationCrimesPer 1,000
Bowburn & CoxhoeNeighbourhood15,6111,51396.9

Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Bowburn over the 12 months to July 2026.

LocationCrimes
On or near Supermarket60
On or near Tunstall Avenue35
On or near Beaumont Close26
On or near Margaret Court25
On or near Park Avenue24
On or near Dallymore Drive23
On or near Clarence Street22
On or near Park Hill22
On or near Robson Crescent19
On or near Burn Street18

The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Bowburn over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.

OutcomeCrimesShare
Not recorded17527.7%
Unable to prosecute suspect16726.4%
Investigation complete; no suspect identified12119.1%
Under investigation9214.6%
Status update unavailable213.3%
Awaiting court outcome162.5%
Further investigation is not in the public interest91.4%
Local resolution71.1%
Action to be taken by another organisation60.9%
Court result unavailable50.8%
Further action is not in the public interest50.8%
Offender given a caution40.6%

Bowburn has an estimated population of 5,772. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Bowburn sits in decile 4.2, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.

MeasureBowburn
Aged 0 to 1518.0%
Aged 16 to 6464.4%
Aged 65 and over17.6%
Homes owned outright or with a mortgage61.7%
Social rented homes21.6%
Private rented homes16.7%
Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least)4.2

Is Bowburn a safe place to live?

Bowburn recorded 109.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.

What is the most common crime in Bowburn?

Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 235 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (175).

Is crime in Bowburn going up or down?

Recorded crime in Bowburn was up 28% on the year before: 632 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 492 in the previous 12 months.

Which police force covers Bowburn?

Bowburn is policed by Durham. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.

How are these crime rates calculated?

Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.

Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Bowburn. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.

Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.

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<a href="https://policestatistics.co.uk/towns/bowburn">https://policestatistics.co.uk/towns/bowburn</a>