Crime in Lancing and Sompting: statistics, rates and trends
1,930 crimes were recorded in Lancing and Sompting in the 12 months to August 2026, 67.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lancing and Sompting at a glance
- Crime trends in Lancing and Sompting
- Types of crime in Lancing and Sompting
- Lancing and Sompting compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Lancing and Sompting
- Streets with the most crime in Lancing and Sompting
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lancing and Sompting
- Demographics of Lancing and Sompting
- Questions about crime in Lancing and Sompting
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (639), anti-social behaviour (520) and public order (148) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 825th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Lancing and Sompting | Adur | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,930 | 4,575 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 67.4 | 70.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 28,648 | 64,889 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Lancing and Sompting peaked in the year to August 2023 (2,610 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (1,691). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,930 | 67.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,189 | 76.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,991 | 69.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,610 | 91.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,046 | 71.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,878 | 65.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,155 | 75.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,691 | 59.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,789 | 62.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 223 |
| July 2026 | 195 |
| June 2026 | 167 |
| May 2026 | 152 |
| April 2026 | 156 |
| March 2026 | 168 |
| February 2026 | 127 |
| January 2026 | 161 |
| December 2025 | 125 |
| November 2025 | 132 |
| October 2025 | 185 |
| September 2025 | 139 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and burglary (71% below) and drugs (63% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 326 to 520 and vehicle crime rose from 50 to 60, while shoplifting fell from 467 to 105 and drugs fell from 58 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 639 | 22.3 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 520 | 18.2 | 15.4 | +60% |
| Public order | 148 | 5.2 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Other theft | 138 | 4.8 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 135 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 105 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -78% |
| Vehicle crime | 60 | 2.1 | 5.0 | +20% |
| Other crime | 57 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -8% |
| Drugs | 35 | 1.2 | 3.3 | -40% |
| Possession of weapons | 34 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 30 | 1.0 | 3.6 | -39% |
| Robbery | 17 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Lancing and Sompting; the highest is Brighton and Hove (124.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Storrington (47.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lancing and Sompting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreham-by-Sea | 1,644 | 69.2 | +3% |
| Worthing | 11,569 | 101.6 | +51% |
| Southwick (Adur) | 1,001 | 80.2 | +19% |
| Rustington | 1,993 | 56.3 | -16% |
| Henfield | 326 | 55.2 | -18% |
| Brighton and Hove | 35,044 | 124.8 | +85% |
| Storrington | 312 | 47.0 | -30% |
| Littlehampton | 2,308 | 123.8 | +84% |
Of the 6 areas within Lancing and Sompting, Churchill had the highest crime rate (89.2 per 1,000) and Cokeham the lowest (47.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchill | Neighbourhood | 4,506 | 402 | 89.2 |
| Mash Barn | Neighbourhood | 4,825 | 388 | 80.4 |
| Widewater | Neighbourhood | 5,999 | 407 | 67.8 |
| Peverel | Neighbourhood | 4,310 | 268 | 62.2 |
| Manor | Neighbourhood | 4,503 | 249 | 55.3 |
| Cokeham | Neighbourhood | 4,505 | 216 | 47.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Lancing and Sompting over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (160).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 160 |
| On or near Parking Area | 74 |
| On or near Lisher Road | 52 |
| On or near Hillbarn Avenue | 44 |
| On or near North Road | 43 |
| On or near Yew Tree Close | 39 |
| On or near Millfield | 33 |
| On or near Hamilton Road | 30 |
| On or near Sompting Road | 30 |
| On or near Norton Road | 29 |
Of the 1,410 crimes in Lancing and Sompting with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 520 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 612 | 43.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 476 | 33.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 115 | 8.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 65 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 43 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 32 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 20 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Lancing and Sompting has an estimated population of 28,648 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%), an older population (25%, against 19%) and less social housing (11%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lancing and Sompting average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lancing and Sompting | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lancing and Sompting a safe place to live?
Lancing and Sompting recorded 67.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 825th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Lancing and Sompting?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 639 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (520).
Is crime in Lancing and Sompting going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lancing and Sompting was down 12% on the year before: 1,930 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,189 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lancing and Sompting?
About 28,648 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lancing and Sompting?
Lancing and Sompting 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.