Crime in Chester-le-Street: statistics, rates and trends
2,713 crimes were recorded in Chester-le-Street in the 12 months to August 2026, 112.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Chester-le-Street at a glance
- Crime trends in Chester-le-Street
- Types of crime in Chester-le-Street
- Chester-le-Street compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Chester-le-Street
- Streets with the most crime in Chester-le-Street
- What happened after crimes were reported in Chester-le-Street
- Demographics of Chester-le-Street
- Questions about crime in Chester-le-Street
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (856), anti-social behaviour (488) and shoplifting (379) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 245th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Chester-le-Street | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,713 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 112.2 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 24,176 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Chester-le-Street peaked in the year to August 2019 (2,930 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,316). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,713 | 112.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,694 | 111.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,487 | 102.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,793 | 115.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,474 | 102.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,316 | 95.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,910 | 120.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,930 | 121.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,664 | 110.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 258 |
| July 2026 | 252 |
| June 2026 | 247 |
| May 2026 | 304 |
| April 2026 | 252 |
| March 2026 | 255 |
| February 2026 | 196 |
| January 2026 | 174 |
| December 2025 | 183 |
| November 2025 | 175 |
| October 2025 | 220 |
| September 2025 | 197 |
Compared with England and Wales, Chester-le-Street recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.1 times the national rate), shoplifting (85% above the national rate) and other crime (33% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (49% below) and robbery (36% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 30 to 40 and criminal damage and arson rose from 275 to 339, while shoplifting fell from 456 to 379.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 856 | 35.4 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 488 | 20.2 | 15.4 | -5% |
| Shoplifting | 379 | 15.7 | 8.5 | -17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 339 | 14.0 | 6.7 | +23% |
| Public order | 176 | 7.3 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Other theft | 151 | 6.2 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Burglary | 91 | 3.8 | 3.6 | -1% |
| Vehicle crime | 79 | 3.3 | 5.0 | -4% |
| Other crime | 68 | 2.8 | 2.1 | +10% |
| Drugs | 40 | 1.7 | 3.3 | +33% |
| Robbery | 21 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 8 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Chester-le-Street; 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 Chester-le-Street |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelton and Ouston | 586 | 95.9 | -15% |
| Birtley | 1,151 | 77.7 | -31% |
| Sacriston | 600 | 113.4 | +1% |
| Fence Houses | 366 | 60.2 | -46% |
| Shiney Row and Penshaw | 1,094 | 60.1 | -46% |
| Washington | 4,434 | 84.5 | -25% |
| Stanley (County Durham) | 3,177 | 160.9 | +43% |
| Houghton-le-Spring | 1,135 | 97.8 | -13% |
Of the 3 areas within Chester-le-Street, Chester-le-Street North had the highest crime rate (181.4 per 1,000) and Chester-le-Street South the lowest (63.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester-le-Street North | Neighbourhood | 8,964 | 1,626 | 181.4 |
| North Lodge | Neighbourhood | 5,306 | 465 | 87.6 |
| Chester-le-Street South | Neighbourhood | 11,308 | 721 | 63.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Chester-le-Street over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” and “Shopping Area” (162 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 162 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 162 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 147 |
| On or near Supermarket | 105 |
| On or near Nightclub | 83 |
| On or near Fourth Avenue | 76 |
| On or near Morningside Court | 55 |
| On or near Sidlaw Avenue | 55 |
| On or near Hedworth Street | 52 |
| On or near High Chare | 51 |
Of the 2,225 crimes in Chester-le-Street with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 488 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 827 | 37.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 784 | 35.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 229 | 10.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 155 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 57 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 50 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 44 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 24 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 16 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Chester-le-Street has an estimated population of 24,176 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (30%, against 22%), less private renting (13%, against 20%) and an older population (25%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Chester-le-Street average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Chester-le-Street | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 6.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Chester-le-Street a safe place to live?
Chester-le-Street recorded 112.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 245th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Chester-le-Street?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 856 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (488).
Is crime in Chester-le-Street going up or down?
Recorded crime in Chester-le-Street was almost unchanged on the year before: 2,713 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,694 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Chester-le-Street?
About 24,176 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Chester-le-Street?
Chester-le-Street 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.