Police figures for borough show overall crime fall

SEXUAL offences, robberies, arson, assaults on PCs and even poisoning leading to drug-related deaths have risen in Stockton, though home burglaries, shoplifting, harassment and criminal damage fell.

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

The borough had 20,149 crimes between October 2024 and October 2025 - a fall of 4.2% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, 4,503 incidents of antisocial behaviour were reported to police, a 14% rise, though there was a small dip in the 5,189 reports of antisocial behaviour to Stockton Council.

Theft offences in total fell by 16%. This included an almost 28% fall in vehicle offences, and drops of almost 16% in home burglaries, down to 704 reports last year, and 12% in shoplifting, down to 2,030 incidents, though “theft from the person” rose by 13%.

The largest change overall was a 70% drop of causing death or serious injury by illegal driving, with three offences in the 12-month period. Sexual offences rose by 30%, including a rise of almost 22% in rapes, with 321 reports in the last year. Arson was up by almost 20%, while criminal damage was down by almost 12%.

Robbery surged by almost 32%, a greater increase than the 24% rise reported last month, but this was ascribed partly to recording changes.