Crime in Eastbourne: statistics, rates and trends
14,430 crimes were recorded in Eastbourne in the 12 months to August 2026, 144.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Eastbourne at a glance
- Crime trends in Eastbourne
- Types of crime in Eastbourne
- Eastbourne compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Eastbourne
- Streets with the most crime in Eastbourne
- What happened after crimes were reported in Eastbourne
- Demographics of Eastbourne
- Questions about crime in Eastbourne
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,315), anti-social behaviour (3,230) and shoplifting (2,260) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 81st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Eastbourne | Eastbourne | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 14,430 | 14,639 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 144.4 | 140.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +10% | -1% |
| Population | 99,922 | 104,259 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Eastbourne of any year here (14,430 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 14,430 | 144.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 13,174 | 131.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 12,795 | 128.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 11,867 | 118.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 11,281 | 112.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 11,507 | 115.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 12,037 | 120.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 11,430 | 114.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 11,146 | 111.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,357 |
| July 2026 | 1,454 |
| June 2026 | 1,266 |
| May 2026 | 1,359 |
| April 2026 | 1,229 |
| March 2026 | 1,322 |
| February 2026 | 1,081 |
| January 2026 | 1,090 |
| December 2025 | 1,035 |
| November 2025 | 1,155 |
| October 2025 | 1,051 |
| September 2025 | 1,031 |
Compared with England and Wales, Eastbourne recorded notably more shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.1 times the national rate) and possession of weapons (72% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (46% below) and burglary (22% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 1,988 to 3,230 and drugs rose from 344 to 541, while burglary fell from 344 to 278.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,315 | 43.2 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,230 | 32.3 | 15.4 | +62% |
| Shoplifting | 2,260 | 22.6 | 8.5 | -14% |
| Public order | 1,045 | 10.5 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 933 | 9.3 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 647 | 6.5 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Drugs | 541 | 5.4 | 3.3 | +57% |
| Vehicle crime | 411 | 4.1 | 5.0 | +20% |
| Burglary | 278 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -19% |
| Other crime | 220 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -5% |
| Robbery | 183 | 1.8 | 1.4 | +21% |
| Possession of weapons | 167 | 1.7 | 1.0 | +6% |
| Bicycle theft | 110 | 1.1 | 0.8 | +7% |
| Theft from the person | 90 | 0.9 | 1.7 | -3% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Eastbourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Willingdon | 405 | 50.1 | -65% |
| Polegate | 570 | 60.3 | -58% |
| Hailsham | 1,803 | 83.4 | -42% |
| Seaford | 1,141 | 47.7 | -67% |
| Bexhill-on-Sea | 3,992 | 86.4 | -40% |
| Newhaven | 2,049 | 136.5 | -6% |
| Peacehaven | 1,213 | 75.0 | -48% |
| Heathfield (Wealden) | 373 | 44.9 | -69% |
Of the 9 areas within Eastbourne, Devonshire had the highest crime rate (235.1 per 1,000) and Sovereign the lowest (71.8), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devonshire | Neighbourhood | 15,422 | 3,626 | 235.1 |
| Meads | Neighbourhood | 11,534 | 2,604 | 225.8 |
| Hampden Park | Neighbourhood | 10,672 | 1,594 | 149.4 |
| Langney | Neighbourhood | 10,606 | 1,533 | 144.5 |
| Upperton | Neighbourhood | 11,433 | 1,234 | 107.9 |
| Ratton | Neighbourhood | 9,932 | 1,038 | 104.5 |
| St Anthony's | Neighbourhood | 11,711 | 1,140 | 97.3 |
| Old Town | Neighbourhood | 11,336 | 1,036 | 91.4 |
| Sovereign | Neighbourhood | 11,613 | 834 | 71.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Eastbourne over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (2,047).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 2,047 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 510 |
| On or near Parking Area | 456 |
| On or near Station Street | 275 |
| On or near Terminus Road | 245 |
| On or near Ceylon Place | 233 |
| On or near Hospital | 215 |
| On or near Ivy Terrace | 190 |
| On or near Nightclub | 156 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 155 |
Of the 11,200 crimes in Eastbourne with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 3,230 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 4,921 | 43.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,317 | 29.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 1,004 | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 730 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 370 | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 334 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 240 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 84 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 76 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 36 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 34 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 33 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Eastbourne has an estimated population of 99,922 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (27%, against 20%), an older population (25%, against 19%) and more retired residents (28%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Eastbourne average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Eastbourne | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Eastbourne a safe place to live?
Eastbourne recorded 144.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 81st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Eastbourne?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,315 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (3,230).
Is crime in Eastbourne going up or down?
Recorded crime in Eastbourne was up 10% on the year before: 14,430 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 13,174 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Eastbourne?
About 99,922 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Eastbourne?
Eastbourne 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.