Crime in Littlehampton: statistics, rates and trends
2,308 crimes were recorded in Littlehampton in the 12 months to August 2026, 123.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Littlehampton at a glance
- Crime trends in Littlehampton
- Types of crime in Littlehampton
- Littlehampton compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Littlehampton
- Streets with the most crime in Littlehampton
- What happened after crimes were reported in Littlehampton
- Demographics of Littlehampton
- Questions about crime in Littlehampton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (777), anti-social behaviour (496) and shoplifting (210) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 151st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Littlehampton | Arun | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,308 | 15,129 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 123.8 | 89.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 18,642 | 170,064 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Littlehampton peaked in the year to August 2024 (2,442 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (2,176). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 1%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,308 | 123.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,440 | 130.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,442 | 131.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,378 | 127.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,284 | 122.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,325 | 124.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,261 | 121.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,176 | 116.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,284 | 122.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 220 |
| July 2026 | 264 |
| June 2026 | 202 |
| May 2026 | 252 |
| April 2026 | 178 |
| March 2026 | 196 |
| February 2026 | 157 |
| January 2026 | 140 |
| December 2025 | 148 |
| November 2025 | 161 |
| October 2025 | 180 |
| September 2025 | 210 |
Compared with England and Wales, Littlehampton recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.1 times the national rate), possession of weapons (83% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (73% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (25% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 37 to 61 and anti-social behaviour rose from 383 to 496, while vehicle crime fell from 148 to 92 and shoplifting fell from 294 to 210.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 777 | 41.7 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 496 | 26.6 | 15.4 | +30% |
| Shoplifting | 210 | 11.3 | 8.5 | -29% |
| Public order | 179 | 9.6 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 156 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Other theft | 132 | 7.1 | 6.4 | +22% |
| Vehicle crime | 92 | 4.9 | 5.0 | -38% |
| Drugs | 61 | 3.3 | 3.3 | +65% |
| Burglary | 50 | 2.7 | 3.6 | -23% |
| Other crime | 48 | 2.6 | 2.1 | +7% |
| Possession of weapons | 33 | 1.8 | 1.0 | +18% |
| Bicycle theft | 32 | 1.7 | 0.8 | +28% |
| Robbery | 32 | 1.7 | 1.4 | +14% |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Littlehampton has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Littlehampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wick (Arun) | 1,262 | 103.4 | -16% |
| Rustington | 1,993 | 56.3 | -55% |
| Yapton | 765 | 101.2 | -18% |
| Barnham (Arun) | 572 | 61.9 | -50% |
| Worthing | 11,569 | 101.6 | -18% |
| Bognor Regis | 7,025 | 102.0 | -18% |
| Storrington | 312 | 47.0 | -62% |
| Lancing and Sompting | 1,930 | 67.4 | -46% |
Of the 3 areas within Littlehampton, River had the highest crime rate (193.3 per 1,000) and Brookfield the lowest (56.0), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River | Neighbourhood | 9,166 | 1,772 | 193.3 |
| Beach | Neighbourhood | 4,638 | 298 | 64.3 |
| Brookfield | Neighbourhood | 6,486 | 363 | 56.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Littlehampton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (198).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 198 |
| On or near High Street | 185 |
| On or near Parking Area | 157 |
| On or near Old Market Lane | 102 |
| On or near Paterson Wilson Road | 69 |
| On or near St Catherine'S Road | 59 |
| On or near Irvine Road | 51 |
| On or near Bayford Road | 50 |
| On or near Arundel Road | 45 |
| On or near Arcade Road | 43 |
Of the 1,812 crimes in Littlehampton with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 496 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 774 | 42.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 562 | 31.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 190 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 85 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 61 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 51 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 28 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 16 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Littlehampton has an estimated population of 18,642 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.9%, against 17.1%), fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%) and more private renting (29%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Littlehampton average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Littlehampton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Littlehampton a safe place to live?
Littlehampton recorded 123.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 151st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Littlehampton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 777 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (496).
Is crime in Littlehampton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Littlehampton was down 5% on the year before: 2,308 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,440 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Littlehampton?
About 18,642 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Littlehampton?
Littlehampton 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.