Sompting Crime Overview

Sompting is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in West Sussex, and is the 39th most dangerous overall out of West Sussex's 161 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Sompting in 2020 was 57 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to West Sussex's overall crime rate, coming in 3.6% lower than the West Sussex rate of 59 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Sompting is the 365th most dangerous small town, and the 2,380th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

In May 2020, Sompting was the worst small town in West Sussex for other crime, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.34 per 1,000 inhabitants. March 2020 was also a bad month for Sompting residents, when it was West Sussex's most dangerous small town for possession of weapons, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.23 per 1,000 residents. Sompting recorded 2 reports of robbery during November 2020, making its crime rate of 0.23 the worst small town for robbery in West Sussex that month.

The most common crimes in Sompting are violence and sexual offences, with 199 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 22. This is 13% higher than 2019's figure of 174 offences and a difference of 2.82 from 2019's crime rate of 20. Sompting's least common crime is theft from the person, with 1 offence recorded in 2020.

Compare Sompting to other towns and cities

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

Sompting Crime Map

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Crime in Sompting Compared To West Sussex

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Summary of Crimes in Sompting This Year

 SomptingWest Sussex 
CrimeCountRateCountRateRate Difference
Anti-Social Behaviour14816.7020,27623.4941% safer
Bicycle Theft30.341,0351.20253% safer
Burglary374.172,6203.0427% more dangerous
Criminal Damage and Arson677.565,8086.7311% more dangerous
Drugs222.482,3562.7310% safer
Other Crime182.031,2361.4330% more dangerous
Other Theft232.593,7344.3367% safer
Possession of Weapons80.907560.882.2% more dangerous
Public Order566.325,3926.251.1% more dangerous
Robbery20.233850.4596% safer
Shoplifting394.403,3513.8812% more dangerous
Theft From the Person10.113520.41273% safer
Vehicle Crime262.933,1373.6324% safer
Violence and Sexual Offences19922.4520,38423.615% safer

Sompting Compared to Nearby Small Towns

Small TownTotal CrimesCrime RateRate Difference
Felpham47641.2937% safer
Angmering37544.9426% safer
Rustington63945.4924% safer
Selsey54550.6512% safer
Billingshurst53255.771.3% safer
Sompting50156.52-
Lancing1,16059.795% more dangerous
Bersted64162.9110% more dangerous
Southwick79065.6814% more dangerous
Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common71592.6239% more dangerous

Crime Over Time in Sompting

View crime percentage over time for

Recent Crimes in Sompting

DateCrime TypeLocationOutcome
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near SupermarketUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Sylvan RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near Sylvan RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near The LawnsInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Garden CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Arnside CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Silverdale DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Silverdale DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Hamble RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Cokeham RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near Parking AreaInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near MillfieldInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Avon CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Busticle LaneInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near Busticle LaneInvestigation complete; no suspect identified

Sompting Crime Trends

 Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents 
Crime2017201820192020Trend
Anti-Social Behaviour1781317Getting worse
Bicycle Theft0.230.340.340.34Getting worse
Burglary1.92.11.84.2Getting worse
Criminal Damage and Arson9768Getting worse
Drugs0.681.01.62.5Getting worse
Other Crime1.90.341.42.0Getting worse
Other Theft3.82.92.82.6Safer
Possession of Weapons0.230.901.10.90Getting worse
Public Order3.32.84.36Getting worse
Robbery (inc. mugging)-0.450.450.23Safer
Shoplifting1.10.560.344.4Getting worse
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)0.11--0.11No change
Vehicle Crime1.62.33.02.9Getting worse
Violence and Sexual Offences13152022Getting worse

Changes In Sompting's Crime Rates Over Time

Comparing Sompting to the UK's Major Cities

Small TownCrime RateRate Difference
Sompting56.52-
Barnet67.7117% more dangerous
Coventry77.4127% more dangerous
Croydon83.2232% more dangerous
Sheffield85.8134% more dangerous
Bristol86.2134% more dangerous
Leicester97.4442% more dangerous
Birmingham102.8745% more dangerous
Liverpool107.2847% more dangerous
Bradford133.0258% more dangerous
Leeds137.1059% more dangerous

Crime in Sompting's Neighbourhoods

NeighbourhoodCrime CountCrime RateDanger Rank
Cokeham & Sompting47065First

Crime in Sompting During Coronavirus Lockdowns

Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Sompting change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Sompting saw a 600% increase in public order. Sompting saw a large fall in anti-social behaviour during November, when it fell by 82% compared to November in 2019.

CrimeMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Anti-Social Behaviour+67%+88%+167%+280%-59%+11%+200%+30%-82%-60%
Bicycle Theft----------
Burglary+100%--+200%+100%----60%-33%
Criminal Damage and Arson+200%+150%-43%+133%+67%-17%-40%+75%-29%-
Drugs+100%-33%--+100%+50%----
Other Crime--------+200%-
Other Theft-50%-+200%-67%-+33%+150%---
Possession of Weapons---50%-50%------
Public Order-25%-80%+600%+60%+150%+40%-17%+500%--50%
Shoplifting-------+400%--
Vehicle Crime-+100%--50%-50%--60%+50%--
Violence and Sexual Offences+64%+9%-18%+44%+133%+89%+7%-71%-28%-15%

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Sompting

What police force serves Sompting?
Sompting's local territorial police force is the Sussex Police.
How dangerous is Sompting?
Sompting is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in West Sussex.
What is Sompting's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Sompting are violence and sexual offences.
What is the least common crime in Sompting?
Sompting's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).

Last updated: 31 Dec 2021