Crime in Lewes: statistics, rates and trends
1,801 crimes were recorded in Lewes in the 12 months to August 2026, 109.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (544), anti-social behaviour (437) and shoplifting (188) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 262nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Lewes | Lewes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,801 | 7,500 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 109.6 | 73.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 16,439 | 102,363 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Lewes peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,985 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,715). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,801 | 109.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,797 | 109.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,834 | 111.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,780 | 108.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,847 | 112.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,715 | 104.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,926 | 117.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,985 | 120.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,942 | 118.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 141 |
| July 2026 | 179 |
| June 2026 | 193 |
| May 2026 | 177 |
| April 2026 | 146 |
| March 2026 | 139 |
| February 2026 | 128 |
| January 2026 | 131 |
| December 2025 | 138 |
| November 2025 | 159 |
| October 2025 | 136 |
| September 2025 | 134 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lewes recorded notably more other crime (2.3 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (73% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (55% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (67% below) and other theft (21% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 373 to 437 and burglary rose from 45 to 52, while vehicle crime fell from 37 to 27 and drugs fell from 62 to 47.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 544 | 33.1 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 437 | 26.6 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Shoplifting | 188 | 11.4 | 8.5 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 172 | 10.5 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Public order | 119 | 7.2 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 84 | 5.1 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Other crime | 80 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Burglary | 52 | 3.2 | 3.6 | +16% |
| Drugs | 47 | 2.9 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 1.6 | 5.0 | -27% |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Lewes; the highest is Newhaven (136.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaford (47.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lewes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peacehaven | 1,213 | 75.0 | -32% |
| Newhaven | 2,049 | 136.5 | +25% |
| Brighton and Hove | 35,044 | 124.8 | +14% |
| Uckfield | 926 | 59.1 | -46% |
| Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint | 908 | 60.9 | -44% |
| Burgess Hill | 2,507 | 73.0 | -33% |
| Seaford | 1,141 | 47.7 | -56% |
| Haywards Heath | 2,243 | 54.3 | -50% |
Of the 3 areas within Lewes, Lewes Bridge had the highest crime rate (152.3 per 1,000) and Lewes Castle the lowest (80.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewes Bridge | Neighbourhood | 4,970 | 757 | 152.3 |
| Lewes Priory | Neighbourhood | 6,975 | 683 | 97.9 |
| Lewes Castle | Neighbourhood | 4,494 | 361 | 80.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Lewes over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Prison” (187).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Prison | 187 |
| On or near St Michael'S Terrace | 138 |
| On or near Eastgate Wharf | 106 |
| On or near Parking Area | 89 |
| On or near Supermarket | 61 |
| On or near Mountfield Road | 37 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 33 |
| On or near Wellington Street | 33 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 32 |
| On or near Cliffe High Street | 26 |
Of the 1,364 crimes in Lewes with a recorded outcome, 46% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 437 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 627 | 46.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 392 | 28.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 133 | 9.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 67 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 43 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 17 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Lewes has an estimated population of 16,439 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (50%, against 34%), fewer residents with no qualifications (12%, against 18%) and an older population (23%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lewes average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Lewes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 49.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lewes a safe place to live?
Lewes recorded 109.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 262nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Lewes?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 544 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (437).
Is crime in Lewes going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lewes was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,801 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,797 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lewes?
About 16,439 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lewes?
Lewes 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.