Crime in Seaford: statistics, rates and trends
1,141 crimes were recorded in Seaford in the 12 months to August 2026, 47.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (435), anti-social behaviour (258) and criminal damage and arson (92) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,191st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Seaford | Lewes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,141 | 7,500 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 47.7 | 73.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 23,907 | 102,363 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Seaford peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,510 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,106). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,141 | 47.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,243 | 52.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,167 | 48.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,106 | 46.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,236 | 51.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,289 | 53.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,510 | 63.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,377 | 57.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,301 | 54.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 117 |
| July 2026 | 126 |
| June 2026 | 109 |
| May 2026 | 103 |
| April 2026 | 100 |
| March 2026 | 87 |
| February 2026 | 94 |
| January 2026 | 79 |
| December 2025 | 62 |
| November 2025 | 72 |
| October 2025 | 95 |
| September 2025 | 97 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and burglary (76% below) and drugs (68% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 32 to 38 and anti-social behaviour rose from 219 to 258, while shoplifting fell from 169 to 65 and burglary fell from 29 to 20.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 435 | 18.2 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 258 | 10.8 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 92 | 3.8 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Public order | 87 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Shoplifting | 65 | 2.7 | 8.5 | -62% |
| Other theft | 59 | 2.5 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 38 | 1.6 | 5.0 | +19% |
| Other crime | 30 | 1.3 | 2.1 | +11% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.0 | 3.3 | -11% |
| Burglary | 20 | 0.8 | 3.6 | -31% |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Seaford.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Seaford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newhaven | 2,049 | 136.5 | +186% |
| Peacehaven | 1,213 | 75.0 | +57% |
| Lower Willingdon | 405 | 50.1 | +5% |
| Polegate | 570 | 60.3 | +26% |
| Eastbourne | 14,430 | 144.4 | +203% |
| Lewes | 1,801 | 109.6 | +130% |
| Hailsham | 1,803 | 83.4 | +75% |
| Brighton and Hove | 35,044 | 124.8 | +161% |
Of the 5 areas within Seaford, Seaford Central had the highest crime rate (77.3 per 1,000) and Seaford West the lowest (30.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaford Central | Neighbourhood | 5,031 | 389 | 77.3 |
| Seaford South | Neighbourhood | 4,345 | 263 | 60.5 |
| Seaford East | Neighbourhood | 5,026 | 188 | 37.4 |
| Seaford North | Neighbourhood | 5,061 | 164 | 32.4 |
| Seaford West | Neighbourhood | 4,444 | 137 | 30.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 27% of the crime recorded in Seaford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (85).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 85 |
| On or near Broad Street | 42 |
| On or near Parking Area | 37 |
| On or near Etherton Way | 29 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 22 |
| On or near Pelham Road | 21 |
| On or near Little Place Lane | 20 |
| On or near Warwick Road | 19 |
| On or near Lexden Court | 18 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 18 |
Of the 883 crimes in Seaford with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 258 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 340 | 38.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 308 | 34.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 105 | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 33 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 27 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 2.5% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 9 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
Seaford has an estimated population of 23,907 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (36%, against 19%), more retired residents (39%, against 22%) and less social housing (8.0%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Seaford average decile 7.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Seaford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 35.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 46.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 39.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Seaford a safe place to live?
Seaford recorded 47.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,191st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Seaford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 435 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (258).
Is crime in Seaford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Seaford was down 8% on the year before: 1,141 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,243 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Seaford?
About 23,907 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 36% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Seaford?
Seaford 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.