Crime in Seaham: statistics, rates and trends
2,840 crimes were recorded in Seaham in the 12 months to August 2026, 125.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 28% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (778), anti-social behaviour (672) and criminal damage and arson (401) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 144th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Seaham | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,840 | 64,837 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 125.5 | 120.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +28% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 22,632 | 538,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Seaham of any year here (2,840 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,840 | 125.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,222 | 98.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,915 | 84.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,301 | 101.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,388 | 105.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,376 | 105.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,361 | 104.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,625 | 116.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,615 | 115.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 280 |
| July 2026 | 347 |
| June 2026 | 264 |
| May 2026 | 252 |
| April 2026 | 211 |
| March 2026 | 220 |
| February 2026 | 221 |
| January 2026 | 215 |
| December 2025 | 199 |
| November 2025 | 165 |
| October 2025 | 205 |
| September 2025 | 261 |
Compared with England and Wales, Seaham recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.6 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.0 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (93% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (45% below) and robbery (35% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 190 to 390 and anti-social behaviour rose from 419 to 672, while drugs fell from 57 to 41.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 778 | 34.4 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 672 | 29.7 | 15.4 | +60% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 401 | 17.7 | 6.7 | +25% |
| Shoplifting | 390 | 17.2 | 8.5 | +105% |
| Public order | 144 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +38% |
| Other theft | 126 | 5.6 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Other crime | 89 | 3.9 | 2.1 | +39% |
| Vehicle crime | 74 | 3.3 | 5.0 | +1% |
| Burglary | 67 | 3.0 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Drugs | 41 | 1.8 | 3.3 | -28% |
| Possession of weapons | 23 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 20 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Seaham; 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 Seaham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murton (County Durham) | 1,495 | 188.0 | +50% |
| Easington (County Durham) | 1,212 | 182.4 | +45% |
| Hetton-le-Hole | 822 | 84.1 | -33% |
| Houghton-le-Spring | 1,135 | 97.8 | -22% |
| Sunderland | 19,136 | 108.9 | -13% |
| Horden | 1,377 | 182.5 | +45% |
| Peterlee | 3,111 | 149.9 | +19% |
| Shotton Colliery | 691 | 135.9 | +8% |
Of the 2 areas within Seaham, Seaham had the highest crime rate (129.7 per 1,000) and Dalton & Dawdon the lowest (121.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaham | Neighbourhood | 11,655 | 1,512 | 129.7 |
| Dalton & Dawdon | Neighbourhood | 10,977 | 1,328 | 121.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Seaham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Queensbury Road” (126).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Queensbury Road | 126 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 106 |
| On or near Tees Street | 95 |
| On or near Mappleton Drive | 88 |
| On or near Wear Street | 79 |
| On or near Parking Area | 72 |
| On or near Blandford Place | 65 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 59 |
| On or near The Avenue | 54 |
| On or near Ash Crescent | 51 |
Of the 2,168 crimes in Seaham with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 672 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 771 | 35.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 771 | 35.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 229 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 134 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 79 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 72 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 24 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 23 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 0.7% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 15 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Seaham has an estimated population of 22,632 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Seaham average decile 3.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Seaham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 22.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Seaham a safe place to live?
Seaham recorded 125.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 144th 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 shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Seaham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 778 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (672).
Is crime in Seaham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Seaham was up 28% on the year before: 2,840 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,222 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Seaham?
About 22,632 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Seaham?
Seaham 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.