Peterlee is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in Durham, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Durham's 169 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Peterlee in 2021 was 137 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Durham's overall crime rate, coming in 36% higher than the Durham rate of 88 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Peterlee is the 22nd most dangerous small town, and the 221st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Peterlee was the worst small town in Durham for burglary, with 35 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.8 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Peterlee residents, when it was Durham's most dangerous small town for criminal damage and arson, recording 48 crimes at a rate of 2.4 per 1,000 residents. Peterlee recorded 1 report of bicycle theft during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.05 the worst small town for bicycle theft in Durham that month.
The most common crimes in Peterlee are violence and sexual offences, with 1,121 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 57. This is 0.80% higher than 2020's figure of 1,112 offences and a difference of 0.45 from 2020's crime rate of 57. Peterlee's least common crime is theft from the person, with 5 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 160% from 2020's figure of 13 crimes.
Top 5 Most Dangerous
Small Towns, Durham
45% higher, regional crime rate
North East
44% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Peterlee is 45% higher than the North East and 44% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Peterlee | |
| North East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Peterlee represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 137 | 2,695 |
| 2020 | 137 | 2,702 |
| 2019 | 141 | 2,765 |
| 2018 | 147 | 2,900 |
| 2017 | 144 | 2,839 |
| 2016 | 98 | 1,932 |
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| Peterlee | Durham | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 953 | 48.44 | 25,265 | 29.10 | 40% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 12 | 0.61 | 488 | 0.56 | 8% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 176 | 8.95 | 3,883 | 4.47 | 50% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 490 | 24.91 | 11,118 | 12.81 | 49% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 49 | 2.49 | 2,004 | 2.31 | 7% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 68 | 3.46 | 2,207 | 2.54 | 27% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 151 | 7.68 | 5,057 | 5.83 | 24% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 11 | 0.56 | 528 | 0.61 | 9% safer |
| Public Order | 222 | 11.29 | 7,879 | 9.08 | 20% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 16 | 0.81 | 390 | 0.45 | 44% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 265 | 13.47 | 4,941 | 5.69 | 58% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 5 | 0.25 | 346 | 0.40 | 60% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 109 | 5.54 | 2,795 | 3.22 | 42% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,121 | 56.98 | 34,809 | 40.10 | 30% more dangerous |
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont | 746 | 81.44 | 68% safer |
| Brandon and Byshottles | 1,626 | 82.51 | 66% safer |
| Seaham | 1,749 | 85.20 | 61% safer |
| Crook | 891 | 92.55 | 48% safer |
| Murton | 870 | 111.31 | 23% safer |
| Peterlee | 2,695 | 137.00 | - |
| Ferryhill | 1,329 | 141.22 | 3.0% more dangerous |
| Shildon | 1,414 | 142.28 | 3.7% more dangerous |
| Bishop Auckland | 2,457 | 149.50 | 8% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Bellister Park | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Eastfield | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Ramsey Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Langdale Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Girton Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Supermarket | Offender given a caution |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Lowther Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Essex Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Ambleside Close | Formal action is not in the public interest |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Brendon Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Brecon Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Thames Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ellison Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Helford Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Newark Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Skiddaw Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Pedestrian Subway | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Teign Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Morton Square | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 44 | 50 | 46 | 48 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.81 | 1.5 | 0.66 | 0.61 | Safer |
| Burglary | 8 | 10 | 6 | 9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 29 | 26 | 24 | 25 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.1 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.5 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.51 | 0.71 | 0.56 | 0.56 | Safer |
| Public Order | 13 | 11 | 9 | 11 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.61 | 0.41 | 0.25 | 0.81 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 15 | 14 | 16 | 13 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.81 | 0.51 | 0.66 | 0.25 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 54 | 50 | 57 | 57 | Getting worse |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peterlee East | 1,293 | 152 | First |
| Peterlee South | 759 | 119 | Third |
| Peterlee West | 906 | 125 | Second |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Peterlee change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in September, when Peterlee saw a 293% increase in shoplifting. Peterlee saw a large fall in shoplifting during May, when it fell by 92% compared to May in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +3% | -19% | +17% | -13% | -17% | -35% | +12% | +19% | -33% | -24% |
| Bicycle Theft | -33% | - | +100% | - | - | - | -80% | -67% | - | -50% |
| Burglary | -28% | -68% | - | -69% | -50% | -57% | -21% | -50% | - | -29% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -12% | -35% | -42% | -44% | +42% | -5% | +5% | +5% | -29% | +22% |
| Drugs | -13% | +40% | - | +33% | +67% | -67% | -80% | +233% | +67% | +150% |
| Other Crime | +200% | -50% | +100% | +75% | +40% | -38% | +150% | -67% | -25% | - |
| Other Theft | -44% | -25% | -21% | +15% | +31% | -50% | -35% | -35% | -37% | -19% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | +100% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | -25% | -36% | -20% | -42% | +7% | -42% | -14% | - | - | - |
| Robbery | -50% | - | - | -50% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -45% | -79% | -92% | -13% | +283% | +153% | +293% | +86% | +14% | - |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | +100% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | - | -56% | -63% | -70% | -20% | -77% | +138% | -37% | +22% | +17% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +24% | -15% | +41% | -20% | +85% | -16% | +1% | - | +46% | +20% |
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