Crime in Hailsham: statistics, rates and trends
1,803 crimes were recorded in Hailsham in the 12 months to August 2026, 83.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 26% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Hailsham at a glance
- Crime trends in Hailsham
- Types of crime in Hailsham
- Hailsham compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Hailsham
- Streets with the most crime in Hailsham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Hailsham
- Demographics of Hailsham
- Questions about crime in Hailsham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (568), anti-social behaviour (538) and criminal damage and arson (151) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 559th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Hailsham | Wealden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,803 | 9,107 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.4 | 54.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +26% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 21,628 | 166,908 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hailsham peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,914 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,316). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,803 | 83.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,436 | 66.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,316 | 60.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,641 | 75.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,722 | 79.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,580 | 73.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,914 | 88.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,745 | 80.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,518 | 70.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 155 |
| July 2026 | 186 |
| June 2026 | 153 |
| May 2026 | 194 |
| April 2026 | 131 |
| March 2026 | 180 |
| February 2026 | 128 |
| January 2026 | 160 |
| December 2025 | 129 |
| November 2025 | 162 |
| October 2025 | 123 |
| September 2025 | 102 |
Compared with England and Wales, Hailsham recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (62% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (64% below) and burglary (47% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 22 to 46 and anti-social behaviour rose from 305 to 538, while vehicle crime fell from 65 to 39.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 568 | 26.3 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 538 | 24.9 | 15.4 | +76% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 151 | 7.0 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Public order | 143 | 6.6 | 6.7 | +52% |
| Shoplifting | 110 | 5.1 | 8.5 | +8% |
| Other theft | 91 | 4.2 | 6.4 | +17% |
| Drugs | 46 | 2.1 | 3.3 | +109% |
| Burglary | 41 | 1.9 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Other crime | 41 | 1.9 | 2.1 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 39 | 1.8 | 5.0 | -40% |
| Possession of weapons | 18 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hailsham; the highest is Eastbourne (144.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Heathfield (Wealden) (44.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hailsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polegate | 570 | 60.3 | -28% |
| Lower Willingdon | 405 | 50.1 | -40% |
| Eastbourne | 14,430 | 144.4 | +73% |
| Heathfield (Wealden) | 373 | 44.9 | -46% |
| Seaford | 1,141 | 47.7 | -43% |
| Bexhill-on-Sea | 3,992 | 86.4 | +4% |
| Uckfield | 926 | 59.1 | -29% |
| Newhaven | 2,049 | 136.5 | +64% |
Of the 6 areas within Hailsham, Hailsham Central had the highest crime rate (119.7 per 1,000) and Hailsham North the lowest (33.8), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hailsham Central | Neighbourhood | 5,372 | 643 | 119.7 |
| Hailsham West | Neighbourhood | 4,406 | 371 | 84.2 |
| Hailsham East | Neighbourhood | 5,212 | 434 | 83.3 |
| Hailsham South | Neighbourhood | 3,107 | 189 | 60.8 |
| Hailsham North West | Neighbourhood | 3,955 | 240 | 60.7 |
| Hailsham North | Neighbourhood | 1,420 | 48 | 33.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Hailsham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (107).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 107 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 100 |
| On or near Supermarket | 85 |
| On or near Mabel Way | 55 |
| On or near Hawks Road | 46 |
| On or near High Street | 45 |
| On or near A295 | 43 |
| On or near George Street | 43 |
| On or near Coldthorn Lane | 39 |
| On or near North Street | 27 |
Of the 1,265 crimes in Hailsham with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 538 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 515 | 40.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 447 | 35.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 118 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 53 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 2.8% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 19 | 1.5% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Hailsham has an estimated population of 21,628 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%), an older population (26%, against 19%) and more retired residents (29%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hailsham average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Hailsham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hailsham a safe place to live?
Hailsham recorded 83.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 559th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Hailsham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 568 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (538).
Is crime in Hailsham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hailsham was up 26% on the year before: 1,803 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,436 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hailsham?
About 21,628 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hailsham?
Hailsham 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.