Crime in East Wittering: statistics, rates and trends
346 crimes were recorded in East Wittering in the 12 months to August 2026, 49.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 22% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in East Wittering at a glance
- Crime trends in East Wittering
- Types of crime in East Wittering
- East Wittering compared with nearby towns
- Areas within East Wittering
- Streets with the most crime in East Wittering
- What happened after crimes were reported in East Wittering
- Demographics of East Wittering
- Questions about crime in East Wittering
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (125), anti-social behaviour (102) and public order (26) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,165th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | East Wittering | Chichester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 346 | 10,452 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 49.3 | 81.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -22% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 7,012 | 128,934 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in East Wittering peaked in the year to August 2025 (446 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (295). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 346 | 49.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 446 | 63.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 295 | 42.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 319 | 45.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 354 | 50.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 426 | 60.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 396 | 56.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 308 | 43.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 306 | 43.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 39 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 26 |
| April 2026 | 35 |
| March 2026 | 32 |
| February 2026 | 24 |
| January 2026 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 23 |
| September 2025 | 30 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (48% below) and public order (44% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order fell from 42 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 125 | 17.8 | 34.2 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 102 | 14.5 | 15.4 | +11% |
| Public order | 26 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -38% |
| Shoplifting | 19 | 2.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 18 | 2.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 2.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Other theft | 17 | 2.4 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 1.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 3 | 0.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than East Wittering.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs East Wittering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selsey | 829 | 75.5 | +53% |
| South Hayling | 1,130 | 69.7 | +41% |
| Chichester | 5,505 | 158.6 | +221% |
| Emsworth | 674 | 54.2 | +10% |
| Bognor Regis | 7,025 | 102.0 | +107% |
| Havant | 5,786 | 116.9 | +137% |
| Portsmouth | 27,549 | 119.9 | +143% |
| Barnham (Arun) | 572 | 61.9 | +26% |
The Witterings is the one area listed within East Wittering, with 51.2 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Witterings | Neighbourhood | 10,305 | 528 | 51.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in East Wittering over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hale Close” (23).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hale Close | 23 |
| On or near Parking Area | 20 |
| On or near Hazel Close | 18 |
| On or near Stubcroft Lane | 16 |
| On or near Supermarket | 14 |
| On or near Middleton Close | 12 |
| On or near Second Avenue | 12 |
| On or near Avebury Close | 10 |
| On or near Charterhouse Mews | 10 |
| On or near Elmdene Court | 9 |
Of the 244 crimes in East Wittering with a recorded outcome, 38% 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 102 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 105 | 43.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 92 | 37.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 26 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2 | 0.8% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
East Wittering has an estimated population of 7,012 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (33%, against 19%), more retired residents (38%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up East Wittering average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | East Wittering | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 33.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 37.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is East Wittering a safe place to live?
East Wittering recorded 49.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,165th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in East Wittering?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 125 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (102).
Is crime in East Wittering going up or down?
Recorded crime in East Wittering was down 22% on the year before: 346 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 446 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of East Wittering?
About 7,012 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 33% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers East Wittering?
East Wittering is policed by Sussex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.