Car theft and vehicle crime in Brighton
320 vehicle crimes were reported to Sussex Police within about a mile of Brighton from October 2025 to September 2026. The last three months (108) ran 15% above the three before (94), so the recent direction is up.
Brighton month by month
Counts ranged from 10 in December 2025 up to 46 in July 2026. Offences rose 71% from the first half of the period to the second. Average: 26.7 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 42 | +15 |
| Nov 2025 | 14 | -13 |
| Dec 2025 | 10 | -17 |
| Jan 2026 | 14 | -13 |
| Feb 2026 | 23 | -4 |
| Mar 2026 | 15 | -12 |
| Apr 2026 | 27 | +0 |
| May 2026 | 30 | +3 |
| Jun 2026 | 37 | +10 |
| Jul 2026 | 46 | +19 |
| Aug 2026 | 43 | +16 |
| Sep 2026 | 19 | -8 |
How Brighton compares
Out of the 84 areas we track, Brighton ranks 36 for monthly vehicle crime at 27 a month, close to the typical town in our set. Cardiff averaged 116.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Brighton averaged 36 vehicle offences a month. Only 10% of the sampled British postcodes recorded more vehicle crime than central Brighton. Our benchmark is 400 random postcodes from England, Scotland and Wales, counted with the same one-mile method over Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026. Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
Within the Sussex Police area, Brighton ranks 1 of the 2 centres we track at 27 offences a month. The others: Crawley (18).
Towns nearest to Brighton
- Crawley (20 miles away): 18 a month, 32% fewer than Brighton
- Guildford (34 miles away): 8 a month, 69% fewer than Brighton
- Croydon (38 miles away): 78 a month, 194% more than Brighton
Where in Brighton offences were recorded
Just five locations make up 10% of the 320 offences recorded around Brighton.
- On or near Cannon Place: 10
- On or near Parking Area: 9
- On or near Theatre/concert Hall: 5
- On or near Black Lion Street: 4
- On or near Charlotte Street: 4
What happened to Brighton cases
The most common recorded outcome near Brighton was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (267 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 267 | 83% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 24 | 8% |
| Under investigation | 16 | 5% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 1% |
What this means if you park near Brighton
A rate near 27 a month makes Brighton a lower-volume area, which is when an unprotected premium car stands out. With offences trending up, July is likely to be busy again next year.
Most owners near Brighton start with an immobiliser for prevention, then add monitored tracking if the insurer asks for it. See installation options.
Brighton car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Brighton?
Police recorded 320 vehicle offences within about a mile of central Brighton in the 12 months to September 2026, an average of 27 a month. That ranks 36 of 84 towns on our list, in the middle end.
When was vehicle crime worst in Brighton?
The worst month was July 2026 (46). The quietest was December 2025 (10), and September 2026 came in at 19.
Are car thieves caught in Brighton?
Of the 320 offences, 267 (83%) were closed with no suspect identified, and 5 reached a court or charge stage on police.uk. Prevention and recovery tracking matter more than hoping for an arrest.
Does this cover stolen cars only in Brighton?
Not only. The 320 Brighton offences combine cars stolen outright, items taken from vehicles and tampering, because police.uk publishes them as one vehicle crime category.
Source: police.uk, centred on 50.8225, -0.1372, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.