Total Crime Rate

92.7 per 1,000 7/10 · High

All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026

Violent Crime Rate

36.4 per 1,000 6/10 · Average

May 2025 - Apr 2026
Latest update: 06.06.2026 Crime figures are sourced from data.police.uk and are typically published with a 3-month delay.
Crime rate per 1000 residents
  • All crimes 92.7 7/10
  • Violent crimes 36.4 6/10
  • Violence and sexual offences 29.8 6/10
  • Burglary 16.6 10/10
  • Anti-social behaviour 13.3 6/10
  • Criminal damage and arson 9.9 7/10
  • Public order 6.6 6/10
  • Shoplifting 6.6 4/10
  • Other crime 3.3 4/10
  • Other theft 3.3 3/10
  • Vehicle crime 3.3 3/10
  • Bicycle theft 0.0 1/10
  • Drugs 0.0 1/10
  • Possession of weapons 0.0 1/10
  • Robbery 0.0 1/10
  • Theft from the person 0.0 1/10
Values shown per 1,000 residents · May 2025 - Apr 2026 · Rating compares this oa to UK peers of the same type.
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Crime overview

Watling Street area has the 27th highest crime rate of 102 local areas in Benfieldside , and the 756th highest crime rate of 1,720 local areas in County Durham .

At least one of the neighbouring streets has high or very high crime levels. However, overall crime around this postcode is more mixed, with some nearby areas experiencing lower crime.

The overall crime rate in the area around Watling Street (DH8 6EE) in the last 12 months was 92.7 per 1,000 residents and was 109.0% higher than the Benfieldside average (44.4 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, this area’s most reported crimes were Violence and sexual offences with 9 offences recorded. The least common crime was Other crime with 1 case , unchanged from 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Public order ( 100.0% YoY). The sharpest decline was Burglary ( -28.6% YoY).

Violent crimes totalled 11 (≈ 36.4 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were falling ( -8.3% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -62.3% comparing early vs recent averages) .

In the area around Watling Street (DH8 6EE), the highest concentration of overall crime is near Front Street, where police recorded 29 incidents. Violent and public-order offences occur most often near Plantation Street (16 offences). Both locations lie within roughly 0.3 miles of this postcode area.

View Crime In Leadgate and Medomsley

Crime Over Time in Watling Street area

Showing crimes within 0.3 miles (30/34)
Month:
MonthCrimeLocation*Last Outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Dere Park Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Plantation Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Railway Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Public order Coniston Way Under investigation
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Sunderland Street Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Vehicle crime Bradley Street Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Burglary Plantation Street Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Public order Plantation Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Plantation Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Plantation Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Plantation Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Plantation Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Tunstall Grove —
Apr 2026Other theft Church Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Church Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Church Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Front Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Vehicle crime Church Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Public order Church Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Railway Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Other crime South Cross Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Plantation Street Under investigation
* on or near this location Page 1 • Showing 30 of 34

Data Sources

StreetScan crime figures are based on official UK open data:

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.

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