Crime in Polegate: statistics, rates and trends
570 crimes were recorded in Polegate in the 12 months to August 2026, 60.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 22% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Polegate at a glance
- Crime trends in Polegate
- Types of crime in Polegate
- Polegate compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Polegate
- Streets with the most crime in Polegate
- What happened after crimes were reported in Polegate
- Demographics of Polegate
- Questions about crime in Polegate
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (153), anti-social behaviour (131) and shoplifting (100) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 947th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Polegate | Wealden | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 570 | 9,107 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 60.3 | 54.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -22% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,446 | 166,908 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Polegate peaked in the year to August 2025 (729 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (501). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 570 | 60.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 729 | 77.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 683 | 72.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 541 | 57.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 565 | 59.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 597 | 63.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 594 | 62.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 648 | 68.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 501 | 53.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 54 |
| July 2026 | 51 |
| June 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 52 |
| April 2026 | 62 |
| March 2026 | 48 |
| February 2026 | 56 |
| January 2026 | 39 |
| December 2025 | 32 |
| November 2025 | 33 |
| October 2025 | 42 |
| September 2025 | 41 |
Compared with England and Wales, Polegate recorded notably more shoplifting (25% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (59% below) and violence and sexual offences (53% below). On the year before, shoplifting fell from 196 to 100 and other theft fell from 33 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 153 | 16.2 | 34.2 | -16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 131 | 13.9 | 15.4 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 100 | 10.6 | 8.5 | -49% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 55 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Public order | 44 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Other theft | 25 | 2.6 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 13 | 1.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 12 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Polegate; the highest is Eastbourne (144.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Heathfield (Wealden) (44.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Polegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Willingdon | 405 | 50.1 | -17% |
| Eastbourne | 14,430 | 144.4 | +139% |
| Hailsham | 1,803 | 83.4 | +38% |
| Seaford | 1,141 | 47.7 | -21% |
| Newhaven | 2,049 | 136.5 | +126% |
| Bexhill-on-Sea | 3,992 | 86.4 | +43% |
| Heathfield (Wealden) | 373 | 44.9 | -26% |
| Peacehaven | 1,213 | 75.0 | +24% |
Of the 3 areas within Polegate, Polegate North had the highest crime rate (95.1 per 1,000) and Polegate Central the lowest (38.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polegate North | Neighbourhood | 3,637 | 346 | 95.1 |
| Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | Neighbourhood | 4,014 | 181 | 45.1 |
| Polegate Central | Neighbourhood | 4,992 | 192 | 38.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in Polegate over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (71).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 71 |
| On or near High Street | 61 |
| On or near Junction Street | 45 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 19 |
| On or near School Lane | 17 |
| On or near Cross Street | 16 |
| On or near Primrose Way | 13 |
| On or near Balmoral Mews | 11 |
| On or near Gainsborough Lane | 11 |
| On or near Sandringham Lane | 10 |
Of the 439 crimes in Polegate with a recorded outcome, 56% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 131 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 246 | 56.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 114 | 26.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 25 | 5.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 12 | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Polegate has an estimated population of 9,446 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.9%, against 17.1%), fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (31%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Polegate average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Polegate | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Polegate a safe place to live?
Polegate recorded 60.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 947th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Polegate?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 153 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (131).
Is crime in Polegate going up or down?
Recorded crime in Polegate was down 22% on the year before: 570 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 729 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Polegate?
About 9,446 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Polegate?
Polegate 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.