The North Yorkshire town, which is the subject of an ongoing police operation into alleged organised crime, is not the only one with high rates of offending.
Middlesbrough is not the only part of the country hit by rising crime rates (Image: Getty)
Middlesbrough isn’t 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. 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.
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.
Seaside town Blackpool is among the most dangerous places to live, according to recent crime data (Image: Getty)
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.
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.
Check how it compares to where you live using our interactive map below.
The 12 most dangerous places to live after Middlesbrough:
Blackpool – 146 offences per 1,000 residents
Manchester – 143 offences per 1,000 residents
Hartlepool – 134 offences per 1,000 residents
Bristol – 131 offences per 1,000 residents
Nottingham – 125 offences per 1,000 residents
Liverpool – 124 offences per 1,000 residents
Kingston Upon Hull – 121 offences per 1,000 residents
Southampton – 120 offences per 1,000 residents
Doncaster – 117 offences per 1,000 residents
Bradford – 117 offences per 1,000 residents
Lincoln – 117 offences per 1,000 residents