Crime in Fence Houses: statistics, rates and trends
366 crimes were recorded in Fence Houses in the 12 months to August 2026, 60.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Fence Houses
- Questions about crime in Fence Houses
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (142), anti-social behaviour (72) and criminal damage and arson (30) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 950th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Fence Houses | Sunderland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 366 | 28,197 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 60.2 | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 6,080 | 288,606 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Fence Houses of any year here (366 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 47%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 366 | 60.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 397 | 65.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 519 | 85.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 655 | 107.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 538 | 88.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 534 | 87.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 598 | 98.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 594 | 97.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 689 | 113.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 27 |
| 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 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (49% below) and violence and sexual offences (32% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft fell from 36 to 20 and criminal damage and arson fell from 40 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 142 | 23.4 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 72 | 11.8 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -25% |
| Vehicle crime | 25 | 4.1 | 5.0 | -19% |
| Burglary | 22 | 3.6 | 3.6 | -8% |
| Other theft | 20 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -44% |
| Other crime | 18 | 3.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 17 | 2.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 2.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Fence Houses; the highest is Murton (County Durham) (188.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Shiney Row and Penshaw (60.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Fence Houses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton-le-Spring | 1,135 | 97.8 | +62% |
| Shiney Row and Penshaw | 1,094 | 60.1 | 0% |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 822 | 84.1 | +40% |
| Chester-le-Street | 2,713 | 112.2 | +86% |
| Washington | 4,434 | 84.5 | +40% |
| Murton (County Durham) | 1,495 | 188.0 | +212% |
| Birtley | 1,151 | 77.7 | +29% |
| Pelton and Ouston | 586 | 95.9 | +59% |
Houghton is the one area listed within Fence Houses, with 73.8 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton | Neighbourhood | 15,195 | 1,121 | 73.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Fence Houses over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Front Street” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Front Street | 26 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 25 |
| On or near Rose Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Sedgeletch Road | 21 |
| On or near A1052 | 15 |
| On or near Dubmire Cottages | 12 |
| On or near Grange Avenue | 12 |
| On or near Parnell Street | 12 |
| On or near Sidings Place | 12 |
| On or near Cross Street | 10 |
Of the 294 crimes in Fence Houses with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 72 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 116 | 39.5% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 92 | 31.3% | 4.7% |
| Under investigation | 66 | 22.4% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 4.8% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 5 | 1.7% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1 | 0.3% | 34.5% |
Fence Houses has an estimated population of 6,080 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (23%, against 17%), less private renting (13%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Fence Houses average decile 3.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Fence Houses | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 21.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Fence Houses a safe place to live?
Fence Houses recorded 60.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 950th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Fence Houses?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 142 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (72).
Is crime in Fence Houses going up or down?
Recorded crime in Fence Houses was down 8% on the year before: 366 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 397 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Fence Houses?
About 6,080 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Fence Houses?
Fence Houses is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.