Hastings is the most dangerous major town in East Sussex, and is the second most dangerous overall out of East Sussex's 108 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Hastings in 2021 was 100 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to East Sussex's overall crime rate, coming in 32% higher than the East Sussex rate of 68 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Hastings is the 35th most dangerous major town, and the 584th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In March 2021, Hastings had the worst crime rate in East Sussex for possession of weapons, with 22 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.24 per 1,000 inhabitants. March 2021 was also a bad month for Hastings residents, when it was East Sussex's most dangerous area for vehicle crime, recording 88 crimes at a rate of 0.94 per 1,000 residents. Hastings recorded 28 reports of other crime during July 2020, making its crime rate of 0.30 the worst for other crime in East Sussex that month.
The most common crimes in Hastings are violence and sexual offences, with 4,165 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 45. This is 7% higher than 2020's figure of 3,858 offences and a difference of 3.29 from 2020's crime rate of 41. Hastings's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 61 offences recorded in 2021, an increase of 7% from 2020's figure of 57 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, East Sussex
28% higher, regional crime rate
South East
24% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Hastings is 28% higher than the South East and 24% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Hastings | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Hastings 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 | 100 | 9,375 |
| 2020 | 94 | 8,815 |
| 2019 | 105 | 9,865 |
| 2018 | 97 | 9,088 |
| 2017 | 93 | 8,724 |
| 2016 | 92 | 8,591 |
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| Hastings | East Sussex | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 3,331 | 35.61 | 21,724 | 25.62 | 28% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 61 | 0.65 | 1,259 | 1.48 | 128% safer |
| Burglary | 250 | 2.67 | 2,012 | 2.37 | 11% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,225 | 13.10 | 6,489 | 7.65 | 42% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 334 | 3.57 | 2,108 | 2.49 | 30% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 194 | 2.07 | 1,249 | 1.47 | 29% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 700 | 7.48 | 5,025 | 5.93 | 21% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 126 | 1.35 | 709 | 0.84 | 38% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,104 | 11.80 | 6,934 | 8.18 | 31% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 73 | 0.78 | 481 | 0.57 | 27% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 507 | 5.42 | 3,207 | 3.78 | 30% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 63 | 0.67 | 493 | 0.58 | 13% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 573 | 6.13 | 2,832 | 3.34 | 46% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 4,165 | 44.53 | 24,831 | 29.28 | 34% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastbourne | 8,782 | 76.49 | 31% safer |
| Hastings | 9,375 | 100.23 | - |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near St Matthew'S Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near View Bank | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Robertson Passage | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Battle Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Priory Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Park/Open Space | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Old Harrow Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Keats Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Highwater View | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near High Beech Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Nelson Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ashburnham Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near St Matthew'S Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Silchester Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Eversfield Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Parking Area | Offender given a caution |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 30 | 27 | 38 | 36 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.94 | 0.98 | 0.61 | 0.65 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 5 | 4.1 | 2.7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 2.9 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Public Order | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.1 | 0.93 | 1.0 | 0.78 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 7 | 4.8 | 5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.96 | 0.98 | 0.61 | 0.67 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 39 | 45 | 41 | 45 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Hastings that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Park | 47 | - | 8 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2.1 |
| The Oval | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2.1 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 49% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 22% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 11% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 11% safer |
| Hastings | 100.23 | - |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 2.0% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 10% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 19% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 23% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 24% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 34% more dangerous |
Central Hastings is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Hastings, followed by Central St Leonards in second place, and Broomgrove as the third most dangerous area. Hastings's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Ashdown, Conquest & St Helens, and Silverhill.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashdown | 514 | 60 | Eighth |
| Braybrooke & Bohemia | 882 | 103 | Fifth |
| Broomgrove | 957 | 130 | Third |
| Central Hastings | 1,929 | 272 | First |
| Central St Leonards | 1,227 | 140 | Second |
| Conquest & St Helens | 486 | 50 | Ninth |
| Hollington | 887 | 111 | Fourth |
| Old Hastings | 636 | 83 | Sixth |
| Silverhill | 703 | 79 | Seventh |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Hastings for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Conquest & St Helens (156) | Central Hastings (571) |
| Bicycle Theft | Ashdown (1) | Central Hastings (28) |
| Burglary | Conquest & St Helens (14) | Central Hastings (43) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Ashdown (59) | Central Hastings (215) |
| Drugs | Conquest & St Helens (12) | Central Hastings (67) |
| Other Crime | Conquest & St Helens (9) | Central Hastings (36) |
| Other Theft | Conquest & St Helens (30) | Central Hastings (189) |
| Possession of Weapons | Old Hastings (5) | Central Hastings (29) |
| Public Order | Conquest & St Helens (35) | Central Hastings (256) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Conquest & St Helens (3) | Central St Leonards (17) |
| Shoplifting | Broomgrove (2) | Central Hastings (211) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Ashdown (2) | Central Hastings (24) |
| Vehicle Crime | Ashdown (25) | Central Hastings (67) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Conquest & St Helens (247) | Central Hastings (753) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Hastings change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Hastings saw a 367% increase in other crime. Hastings saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 89% compared to May in 2019. Hastings saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including other theft, shoplifting, theft from the person, vehicle crime, and violence and sexual offences.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +34% | +126% | +84% | +21% | -10% | +12% | +15% | +35% | +112% | +107% |
| Bicycle Theft | -77% | +50% | -33% | -20% | -80% | -73% | -75% | - | - | -17% |
| Burglary | -19% | -54% | -29% | -13% | +3% | +9% | +21% | -52% | -34% | -67% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +9% | -13% | -27% | -16% | -6% | -22% | -22% | +15% | -21% | -36% |
| Drugs | -25% | +6% | -23% | -27% | +3% | +45% | -7% | -13% | - | -10% |
| Other Crime | +64% | +40% | +13% | +58% | +367% | +88% | +22% | +10% | +33% | -31% |
| Other Theft | -10% | -54% | -43% | -30% | -20% | -38% | +18% | -14% | -43% | -44% |
| Possession of Weapons | -37% | -60% | -23% | -15% | +5% | +23% | -33% | -25% | -50% | -69% |
| Public Order | +2% | -1% | -7% | +9% | +22% | +67% | -11% | +22% | +38% | +3% |
| Robbery | +29% | -57% | +117% | - | +11% | +40% | -11% | -25% | -64% | -67% |
| Shoplifting | -32% | -17% | - | -48% | -30% | -55% | -59% | -41% | -46% | -43% |
| Theft From the Person | -29% | -69% | -89% | -57% | -56% | -20% | -57% | -80% | -38% | +100% |
| Vehicle Crime | - | -59% | -54% | -37% | -44% | -32% | -18% | -26% | -49% | -42% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -10% | -30% | -12% | -4% | -9% | +13% | 0% | -4% | -2% | -27% |
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