Rural Stockton-on-Tees Crime Rate

Rural Stockton-on-Tees presents a challenging safety profile with an overall crime rate of 172.7 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly higher than the UK average of 91.6. This results in a safety score of 61/100, placing it below the national average of 79. Most concerning is the 44.1% increase in crime year-over-year, indicating a rapidly rising trend in recorded offences. While rural areas are often perceived as safer, these statistics show high levels of property crime and theft-related activity. The following data provides a detailed breakdown of local crime types and time-based patterns to help residents and business owners understand and mitigate the risks in their local environment.

Crime Breakdown in Rural Stockton-on-Tees

In Rural Stockton-on-Tees, violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type, accounting for 34.2% of reports (426 incidents). Shoplifting is the second most frequent at 18.2%, while anti-social behaviour makes up 13.3%. The high proportion of shoplifting is notable for a rural area, suggesting significant activity around localized commercial points.

Property crime is a major concern for residents in the rural parts of the borough, with a combined property crime rate of 72.5 per 1,000 people. This is more than double the UK average of 32.2. The area recorded 46 burglaries and 60 vehicle crimes over the year. The high property crime rate, combined with the fact that theft-related offences (including shoplifting and other theft) make up nearly a quarter of all crime, indicates that rural properties and businesses are frequently targeted. For homeowners, this means that despite the rural setting, property security must be a high priority to protect against opportunistic and planned theft.

Crime Trends in Rural Stockton-on-Tees

Rural Stockton-on-Tees is currently experiencing a very sharp upward trend in crime, with a 44.1% increase in total incidents year-over-year. This significant growth in recorded offences is a concerning indicator for the area, suggesting a rapidly changing safety environment.

The monthly data for 2025 reveals a highly active and intensifying crime landscape. The year began with a rate of 7.4 in January, but quickly surged to 14.7 by March. While there were some fluctuations throughout the spring and summer, the rates remained consistently high. The end of the year saw a dramatic further increase, with December recording a peak of 20.1 per 1,000 residents. This sustained and growing volume of crime throughout the year indicates that Rural Stockton-on-Tees faces significant and increasing pressure. For residents, this data underscores an urgent need for heightened vigilance and the adoption of more robust security measures to mitigate the risks associated with this rapid rising trend.

How To Keep Safe in Rural Stockton-on-Tees

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type in Rural Stockton-on-Tees, often concentrated around specific hubs. To stay safe, residents should maintain high situational awareness when in public areas, especially during the evening. Stick to well-lit routes and ensure someone knows your whereabouts if you are traveling between isolated locations.

Shoplifting is also unexpectedly high, suggesting that local businesses are frequent targets. Business owners should consider advanced surveillance and proactive deterrents to protect their premises. For residents, anti-social behaviour is a significant issue; engaging with local community watch groups and reporting all incidents to the police can help improve the overall safety of the area.

Vehicle crime and burglary are major threats, accounting for a large portion of the high property crime rate. Always ensure that vehicles are locked and parked in secure garages or well-lit areas. For your home, reinforce all entry points and consider the use of motion-sensor lighting to eliminate dark spots around outbuildings and gardens. Given that burglary peaks during the afternoon and night, ensure your property looks occupied even when you are away. Finally, fostering strong links with your neighbours is one of the most effective ways to keep a rural community secure.

Rural Stockton-on-Tees shows distinct temporal shifts in its crime activity. During the morning and afternoon, theft-related offences are prominent, accounting for 41% and 45% of reports respectively, often linked to localized retail points. As evening falls, the nature of crime shifts toward anti-social behaviour and public order, which make up 49% of all incidents between 6pm and midnight. The night-time hours (12am - 6am) see a significant rise in property-focused crime, with vehicle crime accounting for a high 43% of reports and burglary for 20% during this period. These patterns indicate that while social and public order issues are the primary concern during the day and evening, property and vehicle security are most at risk during the overnight hours when rural locations are at their quietest.

In the regional context, Rural Stockton-on-Tees (172.7) has a surprisingly high crime rate, exceeding that of the Stockton-on-Tees urban area (160.1) and Billingham (109.6). It is only slightly safer than Thornaby-on-Tees (185.0). This high rate for a rural settlement is unusual and suggests significant localized issues or high activity in specific rural hubs. Compared to more typical rural safety profiles, this area is significantly more active, making it a outlier in the borough's safety landscape. Residents should be aware that their environment is statistically more active than many nearby urban centres.

Home Security and Protection in Rural Stockton-on-Tees

The property crime rate in Rural Stockton-on-Tees is 72.5 per 1,000 residents—more than double the national average. In a rural setting where properties can be isolated and police response times may be longer, traditional security methods like basic CCTV or standard alarms are often insufficient. These systems are reactive; they record a crime as it happens or alert you after an intrusion. For rural homeowners, the priority must be to stop the crime before it reaches the building.

A proactive AI-powered security system like scOS is ideally suited for rural protection. By monitoring your property boundaries with multi-camera intelligence, scOS can identify suspicious behaviour and verify vehicles long before an intruder reaches your door. Unlike basic cameras, scOS autonomously responds to threats using lighting and audio to deter intruders at the perimeter. This immediate intervention destroys the element of surprise that burglars rely on in quiet, rural locations. Moving to a proactive operating system ensures that your property is a hard target, encouraging potential offenders to move on before they can cause damage or loss.