Crime in Peterlee: statistics, rates and trends
3,111 crimes were recorded in Peterlee in the 12 months to August 2026, 149.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Peterlee at a glance
- Crime trends in Peterlee
- Types of crime in Peterlee
- Peterlee compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Peterlee
- Streets with the most crime in Peterlee
- What happened after crimes were reported in Peterlee
- Demographics of Peterlee
- Questions about crime in Peterlee
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,141), anti-social behaviour (535) and criminal damage and arson (419) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 66th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Peterlee | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,111 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 149.9 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 20,751 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Peterlee peaked in the year to August 2022 (3,913 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,918). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,111 | 149.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,918 | 140.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,249 | 156.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,746 | 180.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,913 | 188.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,650 | 175.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,539 | 170.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,729 | 179.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,891 | 187.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 344 |
| July 2026 | 319 |
| June 2026 | 251 |
| May 2026 | 249 |
| April 2026 | 266 |
| March 2026 | 256 |
| February 2026 | 224 |
| January 2026 | 234 |
| December 2025 | 202 |
| November 2025 | 247 |
| October 2025 | 271 |
| September 2025 | 248 |
Compared with England and Wales, Peterlee recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (3.0 times the national rate), other crime (2.8 times the national rate) and shoplifting (89% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (30% below) and drugs (26% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 20 to 26 and anti-social behaviour rose from 423 to 535, while burglary fell from 86 to 61 and drugs fell from 66 to 50.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,141 | 55.0 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 535 | 25.8 | 15.4 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 419 | 20.2 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Shoplifting | 331 | 16.0 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Public order | 187 | 9.0 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 136 | 6.6 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Other crime | 122 | 5.9 | 2.1 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 72 | 3.5 | 5.0 | -21% |
| Burglary | 61 | 2.9 | 3.6 | -29% |
| Drugs | 50 | 2.4 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Possession of weapons | 26 | 1.3 | 1.0 | +30% |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Peterlee; the highest is Murton (County Durham) (188.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Hetton-le-Hole (84.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Peterlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horden | 1,377 | 182.5 | +22% |
| Shotton Colliery | 691 | 135.9 | -9% |
| Easington (County Durham) | 1,212 | 182.4 | +22% |
| Wingate | 772 | 132.4 | -12% |
| Murton (County Durham) | 1,495 | 188.0 | +25% |
| Seaham | 2,840 | 125.5 | -16% |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 822 | 84.1 | -44% |
| Hartlepool | 15,773 | 171.3 | +14% |
Of the 2 areas within Peterlee, Peterlee had the highest crime rate (136.6 per 1,000) and Castle Eden & Passfield the lowest (89.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterlee | Neighbourhood | 12,833 | 1,753 | 136.6 |
| Castle Eden & Passfield | Neighbourhood | 6,399 | 572 | 89.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Peterlee over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (321).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 321 |
| On or near Malvern Close | 111 |
| On or near Supermarket | 78 |
| On or near Medway Close | 75 |
| On or near Surtees Road | 74 |
| On or near Burnside | 70 |
| On or near Parking Area | 68 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 65 |
| On or near Clifton Square | 39 |
| On or near Chester Place | 38 |
Of the 2,576 crimes in Peterlee with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 535 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,013 | 39.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 743 | 28.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 280 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 189 | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 84 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 65 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 63 | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 57 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 30 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 21 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Peterlee has an estimated population of 20,751 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (27%, against 17%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (20%, against 34%) and more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Peterlee average decile 2.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Peterlee | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 45.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Peterlee a safe place to live?
Peterlee recorded 149.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 66th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Peterlee?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,141 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (535).
Is crime in Peterlee going up or down?
Recorded crime in Peterlee was up 7% on the year before: 3,111 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,918 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Peterlee?
About 20,751 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Peterlee?
Peterlee is policed by Durham.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.