Middlesbrough is not the only part of Britain grappling with rising crime rates, as reports of sex offences, robbery and drug crime spike around the country. The latest Home Office figures show that while the general trend of falling crime over the past decade has continued, there has been a rise in serious types of offending in certain towns and cities.
The data reveals a 4% rise in sexual offences and stalking and harassment incidents, as well as 10% increase in robberies, 12% in drug crime and 8% in possession of weapons.
Blackpool and Manchester follow closely
Popular seaside resort Blackpool had the highest crime rate in the country outside London as of December 2025, but fell behind Middlesbrough in the most recent update, covering the 12 months up to March 2026.
In the past 12 months, there have been 23,419 crimes committed in Middlesbrough, translating to a crime rate of 150 crimes per 1,000 people. Despite seeing a 4% drop in crime over the last 12 months, Blackpool has the second-highest crime rate in the country, with 146 offences per 1,000 residents.
Manchester is third, with a rate of 143 crimes per 1,000 residents, followed by Hartlepool, with 134, and Bristol, with 131.
Ongoing police operation in Middlesbrough
The North Yorkshire town has made headlines for an operation tackling alleged organised crime in the wake of a series of incidents which began with a head-on crash that killed two police officers and five young men last weekend.
Cleveland Police has arrested a total of 24 people since the A66 crash, over incidents including a vehicle crashing into a house, an alleged caravan arson and a drugs offence.
Areas with highest crime rates after Middlesbrough
The 11 other areas with the highest crime rates per 1,000 residents are:
- Blackpool - 146 offences
- Manchester - 143 offences
- Hartlepool - 134 offences
- Bristol - 131 offences
- Nottingham - 125 offences
- Liverpool - 124 offences
- Kingston Upon Hull - 121 offences
- Southampton - 120 offences
- Doncaster - 117 offences
- Bradford - 117 offences
- Lincoln - 117 offences
