Middlesbrough identified as UK crime capital outside London

Middlesbrough has emerged as the UK’s highest crime area outside of London, with only Westminster reporting higher rates. In the 12 months leading up to August 2026, the town recorded 23,419 crimes, averaging 150 incidents per 1,000 people.

Recent violence has escalated, including a head-on wrong-way crash on the A66 that killed five men and two police officers, an incident Cleveland Police has linked to organized criminal activity. Other recent incidents include a fatal house fire involving a woman and a child, stabbings in Eston, and vehicles being rammed into properties. In response to the recent surge in violence, 200 additional police officers have been deployed to the area.

Former Cleveland mayor Andy Preston attributed the issues to a “feral underclass” that preys on the community. The region’s struggles are linked to long-term economic deprivation and the decline of the Teesside industrial sector since the 1980s.