Crime in Fence Houses: statistics, rates and trends
360 crimes were recorded in Fence Houses in the 12 months to July 2026, 59.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Fence Houses at a glance
- Crime trends in Fence Houses
- Types of crime in Fence Houses
- Fence Houses compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Fence Houses
- Streets with the most crime in Fence Houses
- What happened after crimes were reported in Fence Houses
- Population and deprivation in Fence Houses
- Questions about crime in Fence Houses
- About this data
360 crimes were recorded in Fence Houses in the 12 months to July 2026, 59.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 16% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 137 reports (38% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Fence Houses has the 979th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Fence Houses | Sunderland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 360 | 28,651 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.2 | 99.3 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 6,080 | 288,606 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Fence Houses was highest in the year to July 2018 (685 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (360). Over the whole period it fell 47%, 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.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 360 | 59.2 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 431 | 70.9 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 515 | 84.7 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 676 | 111.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 518 | 85.2 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 526 | 86.5 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 598 | 98.4 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 601 | 98.8 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 685 | 112.7 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 29 |
| June 2026 | 22 |
| May 2026 | 39 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 27 |
| February 2026 | 14 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 54 |
| November 2025 | 38 |
| October 2025 | 43 |
| September 2025 | 29 |
| August 2025 | 21 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Fence Houses 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 other crime.
The largest falls were in other theft (-54%) and criminal damage and arson (-37%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 137 | 22.5 | 0.66 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 71 | 11.7 | 0.76 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 29 | 4.8 | 0.70 | -37% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 4.4 | 0.90 | +0% |
| Burglary | 22 | 3.6 | 1.02 | -31% |
| Other crime | 19 | 3.1 | 1.48 | +27% |
| Other theft | 19 | 3.1 | 0.49 | -54% |
| Public order | 17 | 2.8 | 0.42 | +0% |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 2.0 | 0.24 | +71% |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.5 | 0.15 | -79% |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.40 | +0% |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 0.17 | -86% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 0.10 | +0% |
Violence and sexual offences in Fence Houses
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Fence Houses recorded 137 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (22.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 38.1% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Fence Houses
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Fence Houses recorded 71 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 19.7% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Fence Houses
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Fence Houses recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 37% on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Fence Houses
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Fence Houses recorded 27 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 7.5% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Fence Houses
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Fence Houses recorded 22 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 31% on the year before. It made up 6.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Fence Houses
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Fence Houses recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 27% on the year before. It made up 5.3% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Fence Houses
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Fence Houses recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 54% on the year before. It made up 5.3% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Fence Houses
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Fence Houses recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 4.7% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Fence Houses
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Fence Houses recorded 12 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 71% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Fence Houses
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Fence Houses recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 79% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Fence Houses
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Fence Houses recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Fence Houses
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Fence Houses recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 86% on the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Fence Houses
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Fence Houses recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Fence Houses, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Fence Houses.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Fence Houses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton-le-Spring | 1,140 | 98.2 | +66% |
| Shiney Row and Penshaw | 1,101 | 60.4 | +2% |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 839 | 85.8 | +45% |
| Chester-le-Street | 2,669 | 110.4 | +86% |
| Washington | 4,567 | 87.0 | +47% |
| Murton (County Durham) | 1,485 | 186.7 | +215% |
| Birtley | 1,163 | 78.5 | +33% |
| Pelton and Ouston | 584 | 95.6 | +61% |
1 areas within Fence Houses, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Houghton had the highest rate (74.8 per 1,000) and Houghton the lowest (74.8). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton | Neighbourhood | 15,195 | 1,136 | 74.8 |
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 Fence Houses over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Front Street | 25 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 24 |
| On or near Sedgeletch Road | 21 |
| On or near Rose Avenue | 20 |
| On or near Sidings Place | 14 |
| On or near A1052 | 13 |
| On or near Parnell Street | 12 |
| On or near Cross Street | 11 |
| On or near Dubmire Cottages | 11 |
| On or near Grange Avenue | 11 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Fence Houses 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.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 117 | 32.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 89 | 24.7% |
| Not recorded | 71 | 19.7% |
| Under investigation | 63 | 17.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 2.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1 | 0.3% |
Fence Houses has an estimated population of 6,080. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Fence Houses sits in decile 3.4, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Fence Houses |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.2% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 63.0% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.8% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.8% |
| Social rented homes | 23.3% |
| Private rented homes | 12.9% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 21.5% |
Is Fence Houses a safe place to live?
Fence Houses recorded 59.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than 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 Fence Houses?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 137 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (71).
Is crime in Fence Houses going up or down?
Recorded crime in Fence Houses was down 16% on the year before: 360 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 431 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Fence Houses?
Fence Houses is policed by Northumbria. 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 Fence Houses. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.