Crime in Selsey: statistics, rates and trends
829 crimes were recorded in Selsey in the 12 months to August 2026, 75.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (282), anti-social behaviour (242) and criminal damage and arson (103) made up 76% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 685th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Selsey | Chichester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 829 | 10,452 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 75.5 | 81.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +15% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 10,974 | 128,934 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Selsey peaked in the year to August 2021 (986 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (612). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 35%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 829 | 75.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 719 | 65.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 740 | 67.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 758 | 69.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 727 | 66.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 986 | 89.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 758 | 69.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 612 | 55.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 613 | 55.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 141 |
| July 2026 | 105 |
| June 2026 | 82 |
| May 2026 | 66 |
| April 2026 | 54 |
| March 2026 | 75 |
| February 2026 | 47 |
| January 2026 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 55 |
| November 2025 | 48 |
| October 2025 | 59 |
| September 2025 | 62 |
Compared with England and Wales, Selsey recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (44% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (39% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (72% below) and other theft (52% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 155 to 242 and criminal damage and arson rose from 68 to 103, while other theft fell from 46 to 34.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 282 | 25.7 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 242 | 22.1 | 15.4 | +56% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 103 | 9.4 | 6.7 | +51% |
| Public order | 69 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Other theft | 34 | 3.1 | 6.4 | -26% |
| Shoplifting | 26 | 2.4 | 8.5 | +8% |
| Other crime | 19 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 12 | 1.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 10 | 0.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 0.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Selsey; the highest is Chichester (158.6 per 1,000) and the lowest East Wittering (49.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Selsey |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Wittering | 346 | 49.3 | -35% |
| Bognor Regis | 7,025 | 102.0 | +35% |
| Chichester | 5,505 | 158.6 | +110% |
| South Hayling | 1,130 | 69.7 | -8% |
| Barnham (Arun) | 572 | 61.9 | -18% |
| Yapton | 765 | 101.2 | +34% |
| Emsworth | 674 | 54.2 | -28% |
| Wick (Arun) | 1,262 | 103.4 | +37% |
Of the 2 areas within Selsey, Selsey South had the highest crime rate (81.5 per 1,000) and Sidlesham with Selsey North the lowest (73.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selsey South | Neighbourhood | 5,754 | 469 | 81.5 |
| Sidlesham with Selsey North | Neighbourhood | 6,622 | 485 | 73.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Selsey over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Netherton Close” (47).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Netherton Close | 47 |
| On or near Round Piece Lane | 43 |
| On or near Supermarket | 40 |
| On or near Freeways | 34 |
| On or near St George'S Close | 34 |
| On or near Mayridge | 29 |
| On or near Parking Area | 27 |
| On or near Hunnisett Close | 23 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 23 |
| On or near Tranquillity Way | 23 |
Of the 587 crimes in Selsey with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 242 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 238 | 40.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 205 | 34.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 78 | 13.3% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 1.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Selsey has an estimated population of 10,974 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (38%, against 19%), more retired residents (40%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Selsey average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Selsey | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 37.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 45.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 40.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Selsey a safe place to live?
Selsey recorded 75.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 685th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Selsey?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 282 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (242).
Is crime in Selsey going up or down?
Recorded crime in Selsey was up 15% on the year before: 829 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 719 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Selsey?
About 10,974 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 38% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Selsey?
Selsey 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.