Crime in Shoreham-by-Sea: statistics, rates and trends
1,644 crimes were recorded in Shoreham-by-Sea in the 12 months to August 2026, 69.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shoreham-by-Sea at a glance
- Crime trends in Shoreham-by-Sea
- Types of crime in Shoreham-by-Sea
- Shoreham-by-Sea compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Shoreham-by-Sea
- Streets with the most crime in Shoreham-by-Sea
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shoreham-by-Sea
- Demographics of Shoreham-by-Sea
- Questions about crime in Shoreham-by-Sea
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (468), anti-social behaviour (430) and shoplifting (249) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 791st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Shoreham-by-Sea | Adur | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,644 | 4,575 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 69.2 | 70.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 23,765 | 64,889 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shoreham-by-Sea peaked in the year to August 2022 (2,135 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (1,544). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,644 | 69.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,747 | 73.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,853 | 78.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,053 | 86.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,135 | 89.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,015 | 84.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,776 | 74.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,544 | 65.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,608 | 67.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 137 |
| July 2026 | 192 |
| June 2026 | 143 |
| May 2026 | 133 |
| April 2026 | 137 |
| March 2026 | 129 |
| February 2026 | 120 |
| January 2026 | 126 |
| December 2025 | 103 |
| November 2025 | 136 |
| October 2025 | 150 |
| September 2025 | 138 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (67% below) and vehicle crime (66% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 339 to 430 and other theft rose from 78 to 93, while vehicle crime fell from 64 to 40 and other crime fell from 39 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 468 | 19.7 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 430 | 18.1 | 15.4 | +27% |
| Shoplifting | 249 | 10.5 | 8.5 | -23% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 136 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Public order | 110 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Other theft | 93 | 3.9 | 6.4 | +19% |
| Vehicle crime | 40 | 1.7 | 5.0 | -38% |
| Burglary | 37 | 1.6 | 3.6 | -20% |
| Drugs | 26 | 1.1 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Other crime | 25 | 1.1 | 2.1 | -36% |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Shoreham-by-Sea; the highest is Brighton and Hove (124.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Storrington (47.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shoreham-by-Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwick (Adur) | 1,001 | 80.2 | +16% |
| Lancing and Sompting | 1,930 | 67.4 | -3% |
| Brighton and Hove | 35,044 | 124.8 | +80% |
| Worthing | 11,569 | 101.6 | +47% |
| Henfield | 326 | 55.2 | -20% |
| Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint | 908 | 60.9 | -12% |
| Rustington | 1,993 | 56.3 | -19% |
| Storrington | 312 | 47.0 | -32% |
Of the 5 areas within Shoreham-by-Sea, St Mary's had the highest crime rate (164.8 per 1,000) and Buckingham the lowest (20.9), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary's | Neighbourhood | 5,220 | 860 | 164.8 |
| Southlands | Neighbourhood | 4,337 | 250 | 57.6 |
| Marine | Neighbourhood | 4,614 | 205 | 44.4 |
| St Nicolas | Neighbourhood | 4,223 | 154 | 36.5 |
| Buckingham | Neighbourhood | 4,011 | 84 | 20.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Shoreham-by-Sea over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Police Station” (186).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Police Station | 186 |
| On or near Supermarket | 163 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 62 |
| On or near Humphrey'S Gap | 50 |
| On or near Eastern Close | 46 |
| On or near Parking Area | 44 |
| On or near Ham Road | 43 |
| On or near Brighton Road | 32 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 31 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 28 |
Of the 1,214 crimes in Shoreham-by-Sea with a recorded outcome, 57% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 430 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 697 | 57.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 319 | 26.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 79 | 6.5% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 33 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 32 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Shoreham-by-Sea has an estimated population of 23,765 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%), less social housing (12%, against 17%) and an older population (25%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shoreham-by-Sea average decile 7.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Shoreham-by-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shoreham-by-Sea a safe place to live?
Shoreham-by-Sea recorded 69.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 791st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Shoreham-by-Sea?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 468 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (430).
Is crime in Shoreham-by-Sea going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shoreham-by-Sea was down 6% on the year before: 1,644 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,747 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shoreham-by-Sea?
About 23,765 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shoreham-by-Sea?
Shoreham-by-Sea 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.