Hexham Crime Overview
Hexham is the second safest small town in Northumberland, and is the 38th most dangerous overall out of Northumberland's 165 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Hexham in 2020 was 53 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Northumberland's overall crime rate, coming in 36% lower than the Northumberland rate of 72 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Hexham is the 402nd most dangerous small town, and the 2,711st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In July 2020, Hexham had the worst crime rate in Northumberland for shoplifting, with 23 crimes reported and a crime rate of 2.0 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2019 was also a bad month for Hexham residents, when it was Northumberland's most dangerous area for vehicle crime, recording 14 crimes at a rate of 1.2 per 1,000 residents. Hexham recorded 2 reports of bicycle theft during November 2019, making its crime rate of 0.17 the worst for bicycle theft in Northumberland that month.
The most common crimes in Hexham are violence and sexual offences, with 223 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 19. This is 15% lower than 2019's figure of 256 offences and a difference of 2.81 from 2019's crime rate of 22. Hexham's least common crime is robbery, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, an increase of 50% from 2019's figure of 1 crime.
Compare Hexham to other towns and cities
See how Hexham shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Hexham and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Hexham Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Hexham This Year
| Hexham | Northumberland | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 299 | 25.41 | 11,368 | 35.32 | 39% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 6 | 0.51 | 145 | 0.45 | 12% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 38 | 3.23 | 1,193 | 3.71 | 15% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 66 | 5.61 | 3,408 | 10.59 | 89% safer |
| Drugs | 13 | 1.10 | 518 | 1.61 | 46% safer |
| Other Crime | 18 | 1.53 | 710 | 2.21 | 44% safer |
| Other Theft | 49 | 4.16 | 1,835 | 5.70 | 37% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 3 | 0.25 | 180 | 0.56 | 124% safer |
| Public Order | 84 | 7.14 | 3,233 | 10.04 | 41% safer |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.17 | 62 | 0.19 | 12% safer |
| Shoplifting | 67 | 5.69 | 1,309 | 4.07 | 28% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 7 | 0.59 | 106 | 0.33 | 44% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 47 | 3.99 | 862 | 2.68 | 33% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 223 | 18.95 | 9,565 | 29.72 | 57% safer |
Crime in Hexham Compared To Northumberland
Hexham Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponteland | 434 | 38.37 | 38% safer |
| Hexham | 623 | 52.95 | - |
| Prudhoe | 677 | 56.71 | 7% more dangerous |
| Seaton Valley | 1,020 | 63.22 | 16% more dangerous |
| Alnwick | 542 | 67.94 | 22% more dangerous |
| Choppington | 651 | 68.46 | 23% more dangerous |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | 912 | 74.99 | 29% more dangerous |
Hexham Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 34 | 26 | 17 | 25 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.17 | 0.42 | 0.34 | 0.51 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 4.0 | 8 | 7 | 3.2 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 13 | 13 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.85 | 0.59 | 1.4 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 8 | 7 | 4.2 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.34 | 0.42 | 0.51 | 0.25 | Safer |
| Public Order | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.17 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 11 | 8 | 4.8 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.34 | 0.59 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.2 | 5 | 9 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 19 | 22 | 22 | 19 | Safer |
Changes In Hexham's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Hexham to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Hexham | 52.95 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 22% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 32% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 36% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 38% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 39% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 46% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 49% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 51% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 60% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 61% more dangerous |
Crime in Hexham's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexham & Acomb | 707 | 54 | First |
Crime in Hexham During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Hexham change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in August, when Hexham saw a 800% increase in public order. Hexham saw a large fall in burglary during November, when it fell by 88% compared to November in 2019. Vehicle Crime saw a fall in every month of Hexham's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | - | +50% | +258% | +42% | -31% | - | +13% | +82% | +167% | +633% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | +200% | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | - | +20% | - | -67% | -40% | +150% | -86% | -63% | -88% | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +17% | - | -70% | -70% | -25% | - | +200% | -13% | -33% | +200% |
| Drugs | -50% | -75% | - | - | - | - | - | - | -67% | - |
| Other Crime | - | - | +300% | - | - | - | - | - | +50% | +100% |
| Other Theft | -50% | -63% | -79% | -33% | -86% | +100% | +100% | -50% | -71% | - |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | -36% | -13% | -20% | - | +450% | +800% | -20% | +50% | -88% | -50% |
| Shoplifting | -57% | - | -67% | -67% | +229% | +80% | -80% | +17% | -20% | -50% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -71% | -83% | -80% | -75% | -86% | -67% | - | -80% | -43% | -57% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -41% | +58% | -47% | -37% | +17% | +13% | +86% | -13% | +16% | -20% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Hexham
What police force serves Hexham?
Hexham's local territorial police force is the Northumbria Police.How dangerous is Hexham?
Hexham is the second safest small town in Northumberland.What is Hexham's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Hexham are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Hexham?
Hexham's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021