Crime in Whitley Bay: statistics, rates and trends
2,415 crimes were recorded in Whitley Bay in the 12 months to August 2026, 65.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Whitley Bay at a glance
- Crime trends in Whitley Bay
- Types of crime in Whitley Bay
- Whitley Bay compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Whitley Bay
- Streets with the most crime in Whitley Bay
- What happened after crimes were reported in Whitley Bay
- Demographics of Whitley Bay
- Questions about crime in Whitley Bay
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (588), anti-social behaviour (527) and violence and sexual offences (510) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 855th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Whitley Bay | North Tyneside | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,415 | 19,252 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 65.4 | 89.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -12% | -1% |
| Population | 36,899 | 215,025 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Whitley Bay of any year here (2,415 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,415 | 65.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,688 | 72.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,830 | 76.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,837 | 76.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,767 | 75.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,295 | 89.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,072 | 83.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,323 | 90.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,349 | 90.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 292 |
| July 2026 | 261 |
| June 2026 | 210 |
| May 2026 | 167 |
| April 2026 | 186 |
| March 2026 | 193 |
| February 2026 | 137 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 194 |
| November 2025 | 235 |
| October 2025 | 249 |
| September 2025 | 235 |
Compared with England and Wales, Whitley Bay recorded notably more shoplifting (89% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (78% below) and violence and sexual offences (60% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 47 to 83 and shoplifting rose from 451 to 588, while drugs fell from 68 to 26 and violence and sexual offences fell from 842 to 510.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 588 | 15.9 | 8.5 | +30% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 527 | 14.3 | 15.4 | +13% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 510 | 13.8 | 34.2 | -39% |
| Public order | 151 | 4.1 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 141 | 3.8 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Vehicle crime | 121 | 3.3 | 5.0 | +9% |
| Other theft | 110 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -27% |
| Burglary | 86 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -21% |
| Other crime | 83 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +77% |
| Robbery | 35 | 0.9 | 1.4 | +21% |
| Drugs | 26 | 0.7 | 3.3 | -62% |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 14 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Whitley Bay; the highest is South Shields (121.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Killingworth (65.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Whitley Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiremoor | 541 | 84.1 | +28% |
| Tynemouth | 7,213 | 117.1 | +79% |
| Backworth | 335 | 66.6 | +2% |
| Seaton Delaval | 745 | 91.9 | +40% |
| Wallsend | 4,702 | 98.4 | +50% |
| Killingworth | 641 | 65.1 | -1% |
| Longbenton | 1,950 | 73.2 | +12% |
| South Shields | 8,969 | 121.8 | +86% |
Of the 3 areas within Whitley Bay, Whitley Bay North had the highest crime rate (106.9 per 1,000) and St Mary's the lowest (31.3), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley Bay North | Neighbourhood | 10,650 | 1,139 | 106.9 |
| Monkseaton | Neighbourhood | 11,290 | 666 | 59.0 |
| St Mary's | Neighbourhood | 10,459 | 327 | 31.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Whitley Bay over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (401).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 401 |
| On or near Supermarket | 252 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 120 |
| On or near South Parade | 79 |
| On or near Sanderson Road | 65 |
| On or near Elmwood Grove | 59 |
| On or near Ocean View | 57 |
| On or near The Nook | 53 |
| On or near Blyth Road | 49 |
| On or near Whitley Bay | 39 |
Of the 1,888 crimes in Whitley Bay with a recorded outcome, 45% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 527 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 852 | 45.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 513 | 27.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 401 | 21.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 81 | 4.3% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 21 | 1.1% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2 | 0.1% | 34.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Whitley Bay has an estimated population of 36,899 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.0%, against 17.1%), more retired residents (30%, against 22%) and less private renting (13%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Whitley Bay average decile 8.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Whitley Bay | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 45.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Whitley Bay a safe place to live?
Whitley Bay recorded 65.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 855th 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 Whitley Bay?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 588 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (527).
Is crime in Whitley Bay going up or down?
Recorded crime in Whitley Bay was down 10% on the year before: 2,415 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,688 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Whitley Bay?
About 36,899 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Whitley Bay?
Whitley Bay is policed by Northumbria.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.