Crime in Gateshead: statistics, rates and trends
12,182 crimes were recorded in Gateshead in the 12 months to August 2026, 105.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Gateshead at a glance
- Crime trends in Gateshead
- Types of crime in Gateshead
- Gateshead compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Gateshead
- Streets with the most crime in Gateshead
- What happened after crimes were reported in Gateshead
- Demographics of Gateshead
- Questions about crime in Gateshead
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,625), anti-social behaviour (2,302) and shoplifting (1,321) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 299th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Gateshead | Gateshead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 12,182 | 19,271 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 105.0 | 95.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | -15% | -1% |
| Population | 115,978 | 202,760 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Gateshead of any year here (12,182 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 36%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 12,182 | 105.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 14,371 | 123.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 15,237 | 131.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 16,445 | 141.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 15,650 | 134.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 17,768 | 153.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 17,581 | 151.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 18,344 | 158.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 18,938 | 163.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,115 |
| July 2026 | 1,089 |
| June 2026 | 1,170 |
| May 2026 | 1,177 |
| April 2026 | 985 |
| March 2026 | 766 |
| February 2026 | 703 |
| January 2026 | 343 |
| December 2025 | 1,126 |
| November 2025 | 1,165 |
| October 2025 | 1,347 |
| September 2025 | 1,196 |
Compared with England and Wales, Gateshead recorded notably more other crime (63% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (42% above the national rate) and burglary (41% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (45% below) and drugs (43% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 169 to 221 and shoplifting rose from 1,063 to 1,321, while drugs fell from 416 to 216 and possession of weapons fell from 161 to 89.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,625 | 31.3 | 34.2 | -26% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,302 | 19.8 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 1,321 | 11.4 | 8.5 | +24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,107 | 9.5 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Public order | 847 | 7.3 | 6.7 | -31% |
| Other theft | 736 | 6.3 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Burglary | 580 | 5.0 | 3.6 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 574 | 4.9 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Other crime | 399 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Robbery | 221 | 1.9 | 1.4 | +31% |
| Drugs | 216 | 1.9 | 3.3 | -48% |
| Theft from the person | 107 | 0.9 | 1.7 | +5% |
| Possession of weapons | 89 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -45% |
| Bicycle theft | 58 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -11% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Gateshead; the highest is Newcastle upon Tyne (121.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Hebburn (68.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gateshead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birtley | 1,151 | 77.7 | -26% |
| Hebburn | 1,477 | 68.0 | -35% |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 36,743 | 121.3 | +15% |
| Whickham | 1,404 | 90.5 | -14% |
| Washington | 4,434 | 84.5 | -20% |
| Pelton and Ouston | 586 | 95.9 | -9% |
| Jarrow | 3,364 | 120.6 | +15% |
| Wallsend | 4,702 | 98.4 | -6% |
Of the 13 areas within Gateshead, Bridges had the highest crime rate (217.6 per 1,000) and Dunston Hill and Whickham East the lowest (36.0), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridges | Neighbourhood | 12,805 | 2,786 | 217.6 |
| Chowdene | Neighbourhood | 7,964 | 1,167 | 146.5 |
| High Fell | Neighbourhood | 9,751 | 1,390 | 142.5 |
| Felling | Neighbourhood | 7,632 | 918 | 120.3 |
| Dunston and Teams | Neighbourhood | 9,395 | 1,047 | 111.4 |
| Lobley Hill and Bensham | Neighbourhood | 8,270 | 729 | 88.1 |
| Deckham | Neighbourhood | 9,698 | 846 | 87.2 |
| Wardley and Leam Lane | Neighbourhood | 8,766 | 720 | 82.1 |
| Windy Nook and Whitehills | Neighbourhood | 9,327 | 763 | 81.8 |
| Pelaw and Heworth | Neighbourhood | 8,252 | 627 | 76.0 |
| Saltwell | Neighbourhood | 12,146 | 826 | 68.0 |
| Low Fell | Neighbourhood | 9,623 | 434 | 45.1 |
| Dunston Hill and Whickham East | Neighbourhood | 8,816 | 317 | 36.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 21% of the crime recorded in Gateshead over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (748).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 748 |
| On or near Trafford | 458 |
| On or near Parking Area | 375 |
| On or near West Street | 251 |
| On or near Charles Street | 160 |
| On or near Shelley Drive | 130 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 123 |
| On or near Richmond Close | 117 |
| On or near Ivanhoe View | 112 |
| On or near Gateshead Stadium | 104 |
Of the 9,880 crimes in Gateshead with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 0.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,302 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 4,032 | 40.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 2,816 | 28.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 2,599 | 26.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 253 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 74 | 0.7% | 5.2% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 53 | 0.5% | 34.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 27 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 0.2% | 3.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 6 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Gateshead has an estimated population of 115,978 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (29%, against 17%), more households without a car (38%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (23%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gateshead average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Gateshead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 37.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 51.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 29.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 29.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Gateshead a safe place to live?
Gateshead recorded 105.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 299th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Gateshead?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,625 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,302).
Is crime in Gateshead going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gateshead was down 15% on the year before: 12,182 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 14,371 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gateshead?
About 115,978 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gateshead?
Gateshead 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.