Polegate Crime Overview
Polegate is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in East Sussex, and is the 31st most dangerous overall out of East Sussex's 109 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Polegate in 2020 was 51 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to East Sussex's overall crime rate, coming in 34% lower than the East Sussex rate of 68 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Polegate is the 409th safest small town, and the 2,972nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2020, Polegate was the worst small town in East Sussex for other theft, with 14 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.5 per 1,000 inhabitants. February 2020 was also a bad month for Polegate residents, when it was East Sussex's most dangerous small town for drugs, recording 6 crimes at a rate of 0.64 per 1,000 residents. Polegate recorded 1 report of possession of weapons during November 2020, making its crime rate of 0.11 the worst small town for possession of weapons in East Sussex that month.
The most common crimes in Polegate are violence and sexual offences, with 145 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 15. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 155 offences and a difference of 1.07 from 2019's crime rate of 17. Polegate's least common crime is theft from the person, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 150% from 2019's figure of 5 crimes.
Compare Polegate to other towns and cities
See how Polegate shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Polegate and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Polegate Crime Map
Crime in Polegate Compared To East Sussex
Summary of Crimes in Polegate This Year
| Polegate | East Sussex | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 148 | 15.79 | 24,034 | 28.34 | 79% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 6 | 0.64 | 1,276 | 1.50 | 134% safer |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.60 | 3,041 | 3.59 | 124% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 61 | 6.51 | 6,961 | 8.21 | 26% safer |
| Drugs | 15 | 1.60 | 2,203 | 2.60 | 62% safer |
| Other Crime | 5 | 0.53 | 1,284 | 1.51 | 185% safer |
| Other Theft | 131 | 13.98 | 4,815 | 5.68 | 59% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 7 | 0.75 | 814 | 0.96 | 28% safer |
| Public Order | 50 | 5.34 | 6,294 | 7.42 | 39% safer |
| Shoplifting | 20 | 2.13 | 3,374 | 3.98 | 87% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2 | 0.21 | 551 | 0.65 | 210% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 18 | 1.92 | 3,181 | 3.75 | 95% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 145 | 15.47 | 23,278 | 27.45 | 77% safer |
Polegate Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telscombe | 248 | 31.49 | 61% safer |
| Crowborough | 723 | 32.55 | 56% safer |
| Heathfield and Waldron | 440 | 35.64 | 42% safer |
| Seaford | 942 | 38.23 | 33% safer |
| Uckfield | 632 | 41.83 | 21% safer |
| Polegate | 475 | 50.69 | - |
| Peacehaven | 829 | 53.50 | 5% more dangerous |
| Hailsham | 1,349 | 59.65 | 15% more dangerous |
| Lewes | 1,195 | 66.60 | 24% more dangerous |
| Newhaven | 1,112 | 84.92 | 40% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Polegate
View crime percentage over time forRecent Crimes in Polegate
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Shepham Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Heron Ridge | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Heron Ridge | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Otteham Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Brightling Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Dittons Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Greenleaf Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Greenleaf Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| November 2021 | Public order | On or near Fairoak | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| October 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| October 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| October 2021 | Public order | On or near Bay Tree Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| October 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Sunstar Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
Polegate Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | - | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.64 | Safer |
| Burglary | 2.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.96 | 0.64 | 0.64 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.53 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 8 | 8 | 14 | 14 | Getting worse |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.32 | 0.11 | 0.43 | 0.75 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 2.8 | 5 | 4.6 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.11 | 0.21 | 0.53 | 0.21 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 7 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 1.9 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 15 | 12 | 17 | 15 | Getting worse |
Changes In Polegate's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Polegate's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Polegate that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| War Memorial Ground | 1 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2.6 |
Comparing Polegate to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Polegate | 50.69 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 25% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 35% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 39% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 41% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 41% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 48% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 51% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 53% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 62% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 63% more dangerous |
Crime in Polegate's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polegate | 475 | 51 | First |
Crime in Polegate During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Polegate change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Polegate saw a 475% increase in anti-social behaviour. Polegate saw a large fall in shoplifting during March, when it fell by 86% compared to March in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -29% | +33% | +475% | +63% | +17% | -38% | -25% | +33% | -8% | +83% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | -50% | - | -75% | - | -50% | - |
| Burglary | - | -33% | - | -80% | -67% | - | - | -75% | - | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -40% | -18% | - | +25% | +25% | -50% | +50% | -33% | -50% | +14% |
| Drugs | - | - | - | - | - | +100% | - | - | +100% | - |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Theft | +9% | -15% | -69% | -18% | +31% | +78% | -47% | -18% | -50% | -30% |
| Public Order | -25% | - | +100% | +300% | - | - | -29% | -14% | -25% | - |
| Shoplifting | -86% | - | - | +67% | -50% | +200% | +50% | - | - | -75% |
| Vehicle Crime | - | - | - | -75% | +100% | +200% | - | - | -67% | +67% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +91% | -77% | -23% | -62% | -41% | +50% | -8% | +86% | +40% | +113% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Polegate
What police force serves Polegate?
Polegate's local territorial police force is the Sussex Police.How dangerous is Polegate?
Polegate is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in East Sussex.What is Polegate's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Polegate are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Polegate?
Polegate's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 31 Dec 2021