Crime and Safety in Shoreham-by-Sea
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Shoreham-by-Sea is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in West Sussex, and is the 31st most dangerous overall out of West Sussex's 161 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Shoreham-by-Sea in 2026 is 56 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to West Sussex's overall crime rate, coming in 7% lower than the West Sussex rate of 60 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Shoreham-by-Sea is the 334th most dangerous small town, and the 2,176th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In August 2022, Shoreham-by-Sea had the worst crime rate in West Sussex for shoplifting, with 78 crimes reported and a crime rate of 3.4 per 1,000 daytime population. And in April 2026, Shoreham-by-Sea was the worst small town in West Sussex for shoplifting, with 37 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.6 per 1,000 daytime population. January 2025 was also a bad month for Shoreham-by-Sea residents, when it was West Sussex's most dangerous small town for robbery, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.09 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in Shoreham-by-Sea are violence and sexual offences, with 456 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 20. This is 4.8% lower than 2025's figure of 479 offences and a difference of 1.03 from 2025's crime rate of 21. Shoreham-by-Sea's least common crime is theft from the person, with 5 offences recorded in 2026, an increase of 25% from 2025's figure of 4 crimes.
Shoreham-by-Sea 2026 Crime Scorecard
Top 5 Most Dangerous
Small Towns, West Sussex
9% lower, regional crime rate
South East
22% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Shoreham-by-Sea is 9% lower than the South East and 22% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Shoreham-by-Sea Crime Rate Over Time
| Shoreham-by-Sea | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Shoreham-by-Sea Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Shoreham-by-Sea represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
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 visualise the data you need.
See How Shoreham-by-Sea Compares
You can compare Shoreham-by-Sea's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to Shoreham-by-Sea's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Shoreham-by-Sea up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Shoreham-by-Sea's 475 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in Shoreham-by-Sea? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
Shoreham-by-Sea • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Shoreham-by-Sea has a crime risk score of 336. This is based on analysis of 475 nearby areas within Shoreham-by-Sea, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in Shoreham-by-Sea's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Shoreham-by-Sea, crime risk scores are typically around 336, while in West Sussex they are average 431.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 455 (451 for West Sussex), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 533 (West Sussex 461).
Trends in Crime Risk
Shoreham-by-Sea
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
The 10-year trend indicates a decrease of 10% in Shoreham-by-Sea's crime risk score. This is potentially a strong signal of how the crime risk is evolving. Cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in Shoreham-by-Sea's crime risk score is down by 2.6%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, analysis may offer further insight when combined with the checks mentioned above.
Over the last year, Shoreham-by-Sea's crime risk score has shown an upward trend of approximately 14%, indicating that the risk profile is going up. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Shoreham-by-Sea
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
Shoreham-by-Sea • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Shoplifting offences have a crime rate of 15 reports per 1,000 people in Shoreham-by-Sea, which is 2.17 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 355 crime reports logged by Sussex Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Sussex Police recorded 6 reports of Possession of Weapons in Shoreham-by-Sea, resulting in a crime rate of 0.26 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 0.90.
The crime rate for Public Order is 0.90 times the national average at 5.24 reports per 1,000. This is from 120 crime reports reported to Sussex Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Shoreham-by-Sea
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Burglary offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.17 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Burglary CrimeRate Index was 1.03 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 83% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Shoreham-by-Sea
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Violence and Sexual Offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.71 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Violence and Sexual Offences CrimeRate Index was 1.24 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 43% over this timeframe.
Theft From the Person offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of - for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Theft From the Person CrimeRate Index was 0.31 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a near-complete decrease over this timeframe.
Possession of Weapons offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of - for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Possession of Weapons CrimeRate Index was 1.86 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a near-complete decrease over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Shoreham-by-Sea • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Shoreham-by-Sea | West Sussex | South East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 345 | 15.02 | 1.06 | 14,461 | 14.47 | 1.02 | 115,500 | 10.87 | 0.77 |
| Bicycle Theft | 8 | 0.34 | 0.97 | 639 | 0.65 | 0.89 | 7,315 | 0.68 | 0.93 |
| Burglary | 39 | 1.69 | 0.59 | 2,154 | 2.16 | 0.69 | 23,535 | 2.23 | 0.71 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 112 | 4.89 | 0.78 | 5,634 | 5.64 | 0.90 | 58,501 | 5.50 | 0.88 |
| Drugs | 22 | 0.95 | 0.37 | 2,118 | 2.12 | 0.69 | 25,203 | 2.37 | 0.77 |
| Other Crime | 24 | 1.04 | 0.61 | 1,447 | 1.44 | 0.78 | 17,151 | 1.61 | 0.87 |
| Other Theft | 84 | 3.66 | 0.64 | 4,493 | 4.49 | 0.79 | 51,336 | 4.84 | 0.85 |
| Possession of Weapons | 6 | 0.26 | 0.90 | 1,393 | 1.40 | 1.65 | 8,736 | 0.81 | 0.95 |
| Public Order | 120 | 5.24 | 0.90 | 5,790 | 5.80 | 1.00 | 54,745 | 5.15 | 0.89 |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.55 | 0.81 | 798 | 0.80 | 0.68 | 7,588 | 0.72 | 0.61 |
| Shoplifting | 355 | 15.47 | 2.17 | 8,432 | 8.45 | 1.19 | 72,983 | 6.88 | 0.96 |
| Theft From the Person | 5 | 0.20 | 0.30 | 330 | 0.32 | 0.21 | 4,668 | 0.45 | 0.29 |
| Vehicle Crime | 40 | 1.74 | 0.44 | 2,579 | 2.57 | 0.60 | 34,099 | 3.22 | 0.75 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 456 | 19.86 | 0.65 | 24,119 | 24.14 | 0.79 | 286,815 | 26.98 | 0.89 |
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Total Crime by Year
Shoreham-by-Sea | West Sussex | South East | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 1,284 | 55.89 | 0.82 | 59,926 | 59.98 | 0.83 | 652,675 | 61.44 | 0.85 |
| 2025 | 1,313 | 57.16 | 0.81 | 61,382 | 61.79 | 0.83 | 670,274 | 63.35 | 0.86 |
| 2024 | 1,617 | 70.94 | 0.99 | 65,391 | 66.53 | 0.88 | 690,903 | 65.86 | 0.87 |
| 2023 | 1,805 | 79.32 | 1.04 | 61,050 | 62.51 | 0.79 | 713,547 | 68.83 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | 1,595 | 70.02 | 0.94 | 55,862 | 57.68 | 0.75 | 704,444 | 68.58 | 0.89 |
| 2021 | 1,355 | 59.38 | 0.89 | 50,485 | 52.57 | 0.77 | 625,484 | 61.36 | 0.89 |
| 2020 | 1,296 | 57.00 | 0.79 | 57,437 | 60.32 | 0.81 | 669,219 | 65.97 | 0.89 |
| 2019 | 1,069 | 47.38 | 0.65 | 53,654 | 56.81 | 0.75 | 666,505 | 65.82 | 0.86 |
| 2018 | 1,114 | 49.64 | 0.73 | 51,092 | 54.30 | 0.76 | 644,142 | 63.85 | 0.90 |
| 2017 | 972 | 43.33 | 0.71 | 47,080 | 50.51 | 0.79 | 552,696 | 55.04 | 0.86 |
| 2016 | 321 | 14.28 | 0.77 | 14,156 | 15.21 | 0.80 | 160,273 | 15.99 | 0.84 |
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Shoreham-by-Sea Compared to Nearby Small Towns
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bersted | 876 | 72.89 | 30% more dangerous |
| Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common | 576 | 64.95 | 16% more dangerous |
| Shoreham-by-Sea | 1,284 | 55.89 | - |
| Lancing | 1,179 | 56.24 | 0.63% more dangerous |
| Selsey | 543 | 48.51 | 13% safer |
| Southwick | 644 | 50.59 | 9% safer |
| Felpham | 561 | 46.43 | 17% safer |
| Angmering | 449 | 44.90 | 20% safer |
| Rustington | 662 | 45.78 | 18% safer |
| Sompting | 365 | 40.43 | 28% safer |
| Billingshurst | 531 | 42.95 | 23% safer |
| Worth | 544 | 42.26 | 24% safer |
| Hassocks | 321 | 34.35 | 39% safer |
| Aldwick | 360 | 30.96 | 45% safer |
| Southwater | 343 | 26.26 | 53% safer |
| North Horsham | 675 | 28.48 | 49% safer |
Comparing Shoreham-by-Sea to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Shoreham-by-Sea | 55.89 | - |
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 42% more dangerous |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 48% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 50% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 75% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 87% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 88% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 91% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 92% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 93% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 124% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
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Offences In and Around Shoreham-by-Sea's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Shoreham-by-Sea that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southlands Village Green | 12 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 14 |
| Coronation Green | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 34 | 174 |
| Beach Green | 9 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 |
| New Shoreham Burial Ground | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Swiss Gardens | 10 | - | 9 | - | 7 | 7 |
| Buckingham Park | 7 | 1 | 3 | - | 14 | 4 |
| Hamfields Allotments | 6 | - | 1 | - | 8 | 14 |
| Sussex County Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club | 4 | 2 | 3 | - | 3 | 8 |
Recent Crimes in Shoreham-by-Sea
The 20 most recent crime reports in Shoreham-by-Sea.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Stoney Lane | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near East Street | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Eastern Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Police Station | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Town Quay |
Methodology & Data Sources
Shoreham-by-Sea Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in Shoreham-by-Sea during July 2026 will typically become available in September 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
Shoreham-by-Sea Data Points
For Shoreham-by-Sea, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2022 release of their Built Up Areas dataset, using the BUA22CD column value E63006538.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses Shoreham-by-Sea's daytime - or "workday" - population of 18,187 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in Shoreham-by-Sea