Crime in Lewes
Recorded crime in Lewes is 1.5 times the Lewes council average and about the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 14%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Lewes: about 13,563 residents in 14 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 4/10Above average crime
- Living
- 7.6/10Good
- 5-year change
- −14%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.5×the Lewes council average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Lewes.
Crime over 5 years
Down 14% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Lewes, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.5× the Lewes council average (about the England and Wales average). 89 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 65% of the harm here
- Burglary: 13% of the harm here
- Other crime: 5% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 65% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 29 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.4 |
| Burglary | 4.2 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 33.3 |
| Drugs | 2.5 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.9 |
| Other crime | 6.2 |
| Other theft | 6.5 |
| Theft from the person | 1.0 |
| Vehicle crime | 3.7 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 11.8 |
| Public order | 8.8 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.8 |
| Shoplifting | 7.8 |
Postcode districts in Lewes
Nearby towns
Council: Lewes
Questions about crime in Lewes
- Is Lewes a safe place to live?
- Lewes scores 4 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.5 times the Lewes council average.
- Is crime going up or down in Lewes?
- Down 14% over 5 years, from 1,345 recorded crimes a year to 1,159.
- What is the most common crime in Lewes?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 33 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Lewes compare with Lewes council?
- Crime severity in Lewes is 1.5 times the Lewes council average.