Toft Hill and High Etherley Crime Rate

Toft Hill and High Etherley is a very safe urban settlement with an overall crime rate of 34.9 per 1,000 residents. This rate is substantially lower than the UK national average of 93.1, contributing to a high safety score of 92/100. The area has seen a positive trend in recent times, with a 25.0% year-over-year decrease in total recorded crime. This significant reduction suggests a safe and stable community environment. The following sections provide a comprehensive analysis of crime types, seasonal trends, and practical safety advice tailored to the Toft Hill and High Etherley area.

In Toft Hill and High Etherley, the crime landscape is dominated by violence and sexual offences, which constitute 37.2% of all recorded incidents. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common category at 16.7%, followed by criminal damage and arson at 14.1%. These three types account for over two-thirds of the total crime in the area. Property-related crime, encompassing burglary, vehicle crime, and other theft, occurs at a combined rate of 10.3 per 1,000 residents. Burglary represents 7.7% of the total, while other theft and vehicle crime account for 5.1% and 2.6% respectively. For homeowners and residents, these statistics highlight that while the overall frequency of crime is low, maintaining security against opportunistic property crime remains important to preserve the area's high safety standards.

Toft Hill and High Etherley has experienced a very positive trend in its crime statistics, with total recorded crime falling by 25.0% over the last year. Monthly data illustrates this improvement, with the crime rate peaking at 4.5 per 1,000 people in April 2025 before settling into a lower, more stable pattern. Throughout the latter half of 2025, monthly rates remained consistently between 2.2 and 3.1, which is remarkably low. This sustained decrease indicates that the area is not only safe but is actively becoming more secure. For residents, these figures provide strong evidence of a safe community where criminal activity is on a clear downward trajectory.

How To Keep Safe in Toft Hill and High Etherley

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crime types in Toft Hill and High Etherley. Although the area is generally very safe, it is always wise to take personal safety precautions. When walking at night, stick to well-lit main roads and avoid shortcuts through unlit or isolated areas. If you are walking alone, let someone know your expected arrival time or use a location-sharing app. It is also beneficial to engage with local community groups and stay informed about any local safety initiatives. For homeowners, ensuring that property boundaries are well-defined and adequately lit can act as a natural deterrent to anti-social behaviour. By staying alert and looking out for one another, the residents of Toft Hill and High Etherley can help maintain their neighbourhood's excellent safety record.

The timing of criminal activity in Toft Hill and High Etherley reveals specific trends that are useful for residents to understand. Property-related crimes like burglary are notably concentrated in the night (12am-6am) and afternoon (12pm-6pm) periods, accounting for 34% and 33% of such incidents respectively. This suggests that opportunistic offenders may target properties when they are either unoccupied during the day or when residents are asleep. Vehicle crime also shows a peak during the night-time hours (18%). Conversely, theft offences are more frequent during the morning (29%) and afternoon (30%), coinciding with times of higher general activity. These patterns highlight the importance of maintaining consistent security measures, particularly ensuring that all vehicles and homes are properly locked and monitored during the quieter night-time hours.

Compared to other areas in County Durham, Toft Hill and High Etherley is remarkably safe. Its crime rate of 34.9 per 1,000 people is a fraction of that found in Bishop Auckland (180.2) and West Auckland (208.8), both of which experience much higher levels of criminal activity. Evenwood, with a rate of 77.2, also has more than double the crime frequency of Toft Hill and High Etherley. Only the exceptionally small Witton Park, which recorded zero crimes, presents a lower rate in the vicinity. This makes Toft Hill and High Etherley one of the most secure residential options in the local region.

With property crime in Toft Hill and High Etherley recorded at 10.3 per 1,000 residents, the risk to homeowners is low, but the impact of a single incident can be significant. Traditional security systems, such as basic cameras or standard alarms, are often reactive, providing evidence only after a crime has occurred. For those seeking a higher level of protection, scOS offers a proactive AI-driven solution. By monitoring all your cameras simultaneously, scOS identifies threats at the edge of your property, not just at the door. This allows the system to intervene in real-time—activating deterrents like lighting or audio alerts—before a break-in is even attempted. For residents of Toft Hill and High Etherley, switching to a proactive system like scOS means moving beyond simply recording a burglary to actively preventing it, ensuring your home remains as safe as the surrounding community.