Selsey Crime Overview

Selsey is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in West Sussex, and is the 50th most dangerous overall out of West Sussex's 161 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Selsey in 2020 was 51 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to West Sussex's overall crime rate, coming in 16% lower than the West Sussex rate of 59 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Selsey is the 408th safest small town, and the 2,976th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

In October 2020, Selsey was the worst small town in West Sussex for criminal damage and arson, with 12 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. July 2020 was also a bad month for Selsey residents, when it was West Sussex's most dangerous small town for burglary, recording 8 crimes at a rate of 0.74 per 1,000 residents. Selsey recorded 9 reports of public order during January 2020, making its crime rate of 0.84 the worst small town for public order in West Sussex that month.

The most common crimes in Selsey are violence and sexual offences, with 234 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 22. This is 20% lower than 2019's figure of 280 offences and a difference of 4.27 from 2019's crime rate of 26. Selsey's least common crime is robbery, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, the same as 2019's figure of 2 crimes.

Compare Selsey to other towns and cities

See how Selsey shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Selsey and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.

Selsey Crime Map

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Crime in Selsey Compared To West Sussex

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Summary of Crimes in Selsey This Year

 SelseyWest Sussex 
CrimeCountRateCountRateRate Difference
Anti-Social Behaviour22320.7220,27623.4913% safer
Bicycle Theft50.461,0351.20161% safer
Burglary373.442,6203.0412% more dangerous
Criminal Damage and Arson847.815,8086.7314% more dangerous
Drugs262.422,3562.7313% safer
Other Crime90.841,2361.4370% safer
Other Theft343.163,7344.3337% safer
Possession of Weapons50.467560.8891% safer
Public Order605.585,3926.2512% safer
Robbery20.193850.45137% safer
Shoplifting151.393,3513.88179% safer
Theft From the Person20.193520.41116% safer
Vehicle Crime322.973,1373.6322% safer
Violence and Sexual Offences23421.7520,38423.619% safer

Selsey Compared to Nearby Small Towns

Small TownTotal CrimesCrime RateRate Difference
Aldwick44238.0733% safer
North Horsham88939.8427% safer
Felpham47641.2923% safer
Angmering37544.9413% safer
Rustington63945.4911% safer
Selsey54550.65-
Billingshurst53255.779% more dangerous
Sompting50156.5210% more dangerous
Lancing1,16059.7915% more dangerous
Bersted64162.9119% more dangerous
Southwick79065.6823% more dangerous

Crime Over Time in Selsey

View crime percentage over time for

Recent Crimes in Selsey

DateCrime TypeLocationOutcome
November 2021Public orderOn or near Church RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near FreewaysInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Other theftOn or near FreewaysInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near Peachey RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Other theftOn or near Further/Higher Educational BuildingInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Further/Higher Educational BuildingUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Green LaneUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Other theftOn or near High StreetInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near High StreetInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near High StreetInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Glyn House CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near St Itha RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Grange LaneInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near Grange LaneInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Solent WayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Solent WayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Otard CloseUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near CrablandsInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Other theftOn or near Deer Park DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near Deer Park DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified

Selsey Crime Trends

 Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents 
Crime2017201820192020Trend
Anti-Social Behaviour14151421Getting worse
Bicycle Theft0.090.460.460.46Getting worse
Burglary4.62.61.33.4Getting worse
Criminal Damage and Arson4.6688Getting worse
Drugs0.930.650.652.4Getting worse
Other Crime1.21.31.20.84Safer
Other Theft3.43.24.43.2Safer
Possession of Weapons0.090.280.740.46Getting worse
Public Order3.93.566Getting worse
Robbery (inc. mugging)0.190.090.190.19Getting worse
Shoplifting1.00.841.61.4Getting worse
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)0.280.090.280.19Safer
Vehicle Crime2.42.01.63.0Getting worse
Violence and Sexual Offences18192622Getting worse

Changes In Selsey's Crime Rates Over Time

Comparing Selsey to the UK's Major Cities

Small TownCrime RateRate Difference
Selsey50.65-
Barnet67.7125% more dangerous
Coventry77.4135% more dangerous
Croydon83.2239% more dangerous
Sheffield85.8141% more dangerous
Bristol86.2141% more dangerous
Leicester97.4448% more dangerous
Birmingham102.8751% more dangerous
Liverpool107.2853% more dangerous
Bradford133.0262% more dangerous
Leeds137.1063% more dangerous

Crime in Selsey's Neighbourhoods

NeighbourhoodCrime CountCrime RateDanger Rank
Selsey54551First

Crime in Selsey During Coronavirus Lockdowns

Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Selsey change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Selsey saw a 700% increase in burglary. Selsey saw a large fall in public order during July, when it fell by 83% compared to July in 2019.

CrimeMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Anti-Social Behaviour+117%+130%+155%+89%-10%-15%+107%+114%-20%+92%
Bicycle Theft----------
Burglary--+150%-+700%+400%+100%-33%--67%
Criminal Damage and Arson-20%+50%-64%-20%+8%-25%-42%+140%-46%+25%
Drugs-+300%--+100%+50%----
Other Crime-----50%----67%-
Other Theft+150%-+50%-80%+50%-50%-67%-50%+600%-
Possession of Weapons-------50%---
Public Order+200%-40%-25%-43%-83%+140%--67%-43%-67%
Shoplifting----+400%-33%-+100%-67%-80%
Vehicle Crime+50%---50%+50%+100%+150%+250%+100%-
Violence and Sexual Offences-62%-17%-25%-38%-20%+18%+5%+4%-54%-22%

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Selsey

What police force serves Selsey?
Selsey's local territorial police force is the Sussex Police.
How dangerous is Selsey?
Selsey is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in West Sussex.
What is Selsey's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Selsey are violence and sexual offences.
What is the least common crime in Selsey?
Selsey's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).

Last updated: 31 Dec 2021