Crime in Willington (County Durham): statistics, rates and trends
941 crimes were recorded in Willington (County Durham) in the 12 months to July 2026, 147.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Willington (County Durham) at a glance
- Crime trends in Willington (County Durham)
- Types of crime in Willington (County Durham)
- Willington (County Durham) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Willington (County Durham)
- Streets with the most crime in Willington (County Durham)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Willington (County Durham)
- Population and deprivation in Willington (County Durham)
- Questions about crime in Willington (County Durham)
- About this data
941 crimes were recorded in Willington (County Durham) in the 12 months to July 2026, 147.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 13% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 346 reports (37% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Willington (County Durham) has the 70th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Willington (County Durham) | County Durham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 941 | 64,238 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 147.1 | 119.4 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 6,398 | 538,011 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Willington (County Durham) was highest in the year to July 2021 (1,222 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2025 (836). Over the whole period it fell 2%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 941 | 147.1 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 836 | 130.7 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 951 | 148.6 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 956 | 149.4 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,104 | 172.6 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,222 | 191.0 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,050 | 164.1 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 973 | 152.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 957 | 149.6 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 65 |
| June 2026 | 87 |
| May 2026 | 104 |
| April 2026 | 104 |
| March 2026 | 82 |
| February 2026 | 72 |
| January 2026 | 74 |
| December 2025 | 83 |
| November 2025 | 74 |
| October 2025 | 49 |
| September 2025 | 76 |
| August 2025 | 71 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Willington (County Durham) over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in shoplifting (+286%) and other crime (+68%). The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-26%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 346 | 54.1 | 1.58 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 200 | 31.3 | 2.04 | +1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 113 | 17.7 | 2.60 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 85 | 13.3 | 1.60 | +286% |
| Public order | 52 | 8.1 | 1.22 | +4% |
| Other crime | 42 | 6.6 | 3.11 | +68% |
| Other theft | 33 | 5.2 | 0.81 | +3% |
| Burglary | 26 | 4.1 | 1.15 | +13% |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 2.7 | 0.54 | -26% |
| Drugs | 16 | 2.5 | 0.76 | +7% |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.8 | 0.80 | -69% |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.5 | 0.35 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.38 | -78% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 0.09 | -50% |
Violence and sexual offences in Willington (County Durham)
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Willington (County Durham) recorded 346 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (54.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 16% on the year before. It made up 36.8% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Willington (County Durham)
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Willington (County Durham) recorded 200 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (31.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 1% on the year before. It made up 21.3% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Willington (County Durham)
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Willington (County Durham) recorded 113 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (17.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 12.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Willington (County Durham)
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Willington (County Durham) recorded 85 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (13.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 286% on the year before. It made up 9.0% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Willington (County Durham)
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Willington (County Durham) recorded 52 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 5.5% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Willington (County Durham)
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Willington (County Durham) recorded 42 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 68% on the year before. It made up 4.5% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Willington (County Durham)
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Willington (County Durham) recorded 33 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Willington (County Durham)
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Willington (County Durham) recorded 26 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 13% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Willington (County Durham)
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Willington (County Durham) recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 26% on the year before. It made up 1.8% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Willington (County Durham)
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Willington (County Durham) recorded 16 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 1.7% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Willington (County Durham)
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Willington (County Durham) recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 69% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Willington (County Durham)
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Willington (County Durham) recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Willington (County Durham)
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Willington (County Durham) recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 78% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Willington (County Durham)
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Willington (County Durham) recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Willington (County Durham), for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Willington (County Durham).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Willington (County Durham) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crook | 1,165 | 130.8 | -11% |
| Spennymoor | 2,848 | 158.8 | +8% |
| Brandon (County Durham) | 1,079 | 117.3 | -20% |
| Bishop Auckland | 4,344 | 201.4 | +37% |
| Esh Winning | 534 | 100.7 | -32% |
| Ushaw Moor and Bearpark | 744 | 115.4 | -22% |
| Shildon | 1,896 | 176.7 | +20% |
| Ferryhill | 1,466 | 174.2 | +18% |
1 areas within Willington (County Durham), ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Willington & Hunwick had the highest rate (128.6 per 1,000) and Willington & Hunwick the lowest (128.6). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willington & Hunwick | Neighbourhood | 9,345 | 1,202 | 128.6 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Willington (County Durham) over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Commercial Street | 114 |
| On or near St Thomas' Close | 76 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 52 |
| On or near Chester Drive | 49 |
| On or near Dovedale Avenue | 44 |
| On or near South Street | 41 |
| On or near Canterbury Crescent | 35 |
| On or near Ash Drive | 33 |
| On or near Lewthwaite Gardens | 32 |
| On or near Brockwell Court | 27 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Willington (County Durham) over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 310 | 32.9% |
| Not recorded | 200 | 21.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 198 | 21.0% |
| Under investigation | 82 | 8.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 50 | 5.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 1.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 14 | 1.5% |
| Local resolution | 13 | 1.4% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 13 | 1.4% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 12 | 1.3% |
Willington (County Durham) has an estimated population of 6,398. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Willington (County Durham) sits in decile 2.6, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Willington (County Durham) |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.7% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 60.6% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.7% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.2% |
| Social rented homes | 26.3% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.6 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 46.1% |
Is Willington (County Durham) a safe place to live?
Willington (County Durham) recorded 147.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Willington (County Durham)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 346 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (200).
Is crime in Willington (County Durham) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Willington (County Durham) was up 13% on the year before: 941 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 836 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Willington (County Durham)?
Willington (County Durham) is policed by Durham. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Willington (County Durham). Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.