Car theft and vehicle crime in Darlington
Between October 2025 and September 2026, Durham Constabulary logged 272 vehicle offences inside a one-mile radius of Darlington. The last three months (102) ran 34% above the three before (76), so the recent direction is up.
Darlington month by month
The busiest month was May 2026 with 39 offences; the quietest was March 2026 with 8. The second half ran 89% above the first. Average: 22.7 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 17 | -6 |
| Nov 2025 | 14 | -9 |
| Dec 2025 | 21 | -2 |
| Jan 2026 | 18 | -5 |
| Feb 2026 | 16 | -7 |
| Mar 2026 | 8 | -15 |
| Apr 2026 | 23 | +0 |
| May 2026 | 39 | +16 |
| Jun 2026 | 14 | -9 |
| Jul 2026 | 31 | +8 |
| Aug 2026 | 39 | +16 |
| Sep 2026 | 32 | +9 |
How Darlington compares
Out of the 84 areas we track, Darlington ranks 44 for monthly vehicle crime at 23 a month, close to the typical town in our set. Cardiff averaged 116.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Darlington averaged 34 vehicle offences a month. That is more than 89% of the sampled British postcodes, but well short of the worst. The comparison uses 400 randomly chosen British postcodes, each measured over Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026 exactly as Darlington is here. Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
Within the Durham Constabulary area, Darlington ranks 1 of the 2 centres we track at 23 offences a month. The others: Durham (5).
Towns nearest to Darlington
- Middlesbrough (13 miles away): 53 a month, 135% more than Darlington
- Durham (17 miles away): 5 a month, 79% fewer than Darlington
- Sunderland (27 miles away): 22 a month, about the same than Darlington
Where in Darlington offences were recorded
Just five locations make up 11% of the 272 offences recorded around Darlington.
- On or near Vancouver Street: 8
- On or near Lucknow Street: 6
- On or near Parking Area: 6
- On or near Theatre/concert Hall: 6
- On or near Water Lily Drive: 5
What happened to Darlington cases
The most common recorded outcome near Darlington was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (191 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 191 | 70% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 32 | 12% |
| Under investigation | 22 | 8% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 7% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1% |
| Status update unavailable | 2 | 1% |
What this means if you park near Darlington
Darlington sees around 23 vehicle offences a month: low by city standards, yet thieves target the most valuable cars first. Numbers have climbed recently, so review how your vehicle is protected before the next May.
Against the 272 offences logged here in a year, an aftermarket immobiliser slows thieves who clone or relay keys, and an S5 or S7 tracker covers you if they still get away. See installation options.
Darlington car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Darlington?
In the year to September 2026, 272 vehicle crimes were logged inside a mile of central Darlington: about 23 every month, placing it 44 of the 84 towns we track (in the middle end).
When was vehicle crime worst in Darlington?
The worst month was May 2026 (39). The quietest was March 2026 (8), and September 2026 came in at 32.
Are car thieves caught in Darlington?
Rarely. 70% of the Darlington cases (191 of 272) ended with no suspect identified, while 24 showed a court or charge outcome. Stopping the theft, or recovering the car fast, is the realistic defence.
Does this cover stolen cars only in Darlington?
Not only. The 272 Darlington 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 54.5236, -1.5595, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.