Seaford Crime Rate February 2026 | Monthly Statistics

Seaford's crime rate in February 2026 remained 39.1% below the UK average, standing at 3.9 per 1,000 residents. This places the area in a markedly safer position compared to the national picture, where the average crime rate is 6.4 per 1,000. The breakdown of crimes shows a clear dominance of violent offences, accounting for 34% of all reported incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour at 23.4%. This pattern contrasts with the UK average, where violence and sexual offences make up 44% of total crimes, and anti-social behaviour contributes 13%. The seasonal context of February—a winter month with low outdoor activity and a pre-spring lull—may partly explain the relatively low overall crime rate. However, the prominence of violent offences suggests a unique local dynamic, potentially influenced by Seaford's status as a built-up area within Lewes. While property crimes such as burglary and shoplifting are present, they are not as prevalent as in the UK average, with burglary at 0.3 per 1,000 (20% above the UK rate) and shoplifting at 0.3 per 1,000 (48% below the UK average). This combination of factors illustrates a community with a lower overall crime burden but specific vulnerabilities in violent crime and certain property-related incidents. The data also reveals a significant disparity in categories: while violence and sexual offences are lower than the UK average, other categories like burglary and other theft are higher, indicating a combination of local conditions that shape the crime profile.

February 2026 saw a 300% increase in burglary cases, rising from 2 to 8, marking the most significant jump in the area's crime profile. Shoplifting also doubled, with 6 incidents reported compared to 2 in January, a 200% rise. Other theft similarly surged by 200%, reflecting potential seasonal shifts in retail activity. Conversely, violence and sexual offences decreased by 8.6%, from 35 to 32, suggesting a possible reduction in incidents during the winter lull. The breakdown reveals violence and sexual offences at 1.3 per 1,000 (34% of total crimes), 44% below the UK average, while burglary at 0.3 per 1,000 is 20% above the national rate of 0.2 per 1,000. These variations highlight the area's distinct crime profile, where property-related crimes are higher than the UK average despite overall lower rates. Residents may find the 200% rise in shoplifting particularly concerning, given its direct impact on local businesses.

Seaford's crime rate in February 2026 rose 19.0% from the previous month's 3.3 per 1,000 to 3.9 per 1,000, remaining significantly below the UK average of 6.4 per 1,000. This monthly figure translates to roughly 3 crimes per day across the built-up area, a localised metric that reflects the community's unique context. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 254 residents, a figure that contextualises the scale of incidents in relation to the area's population of 23,857. While the rate has increased from January, the overall profile remains markedly safer than the national average, with 39.1% fewer crimes per 1,000 residents. This contrast highlights Seaford's relative security compared to the UK's broader crime profile, where higher rates of property crime and violent offences are more common. The population-scaled perspective underscores that while the rise is notable, the absolute number of incidents remains low in proportion to the local community size.