Crime in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: statistics, rates and trends

35,930 crimes were recorded in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.

Crime map

Circle size: number of crimesSeptember 2025 to August 2026. Source: data.police.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0

Violence and sexual offences (11,114), anti-social behaviour (9,474) and shoplifting (3,169) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 140th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.

MeasureBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleSouth WestEngland and Wales
Crimes, the 12 months to August 202635,930437,1095,618,064
Crimes per 1,000 residents87.983.796.7
Change on previous 12 months-1%+2%-1%
Population408,9675,220,31558,127,638

The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole of any year here (35,930 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.

PeriodCrimesPer 1,000England and Wales per 1,000
Year to August 202635,93087.996.7
Year to August 202536,39889.097.2
Year to August 202439,30896.197.9
Year to August 202339,68597.0n/a
Year to August 202242,675104.3102.0
Year to August 202145,050110.2101.4
Year to August 202046,105112.7102.7
Year to August 201946,521113.8101.7
Year to August 201847,122115.2100.8

Month by month

MonthCrimes
August 20263,617
July 20263,976
June 20263,300
May 20263,381
April 20262,921
March 20262,876
February 20262,755
January 20262,552
December 20252,652
November 20252,548
October 20252,697
September 20252,655

Compared with England and Wales, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (51% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (74% below) and other crime (65% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 268 to 358 and drugs rose from 660 to 841, while bicycle theft fell from 498 to 410 and theft from the person fell from 217 to 179.

Crime typeCrimesPer 1,000England and Wales per 1,000Change on year
Violence and sexual offences11,11427.234.2-3%
Anti-social behaviour9,47423.215.4+8%
Shoplifting3,1697.78.5-2%
Criminal damage and arson2,4936.16.7-8%
Vehicle crime2,1905.45.0-5%
Other theft2,1365.26.4-12%
Public order1,7584.36.7-7%
Burglary1,2933.23.6-8%
Drugs8412.13.3+27%
Bicycle theft4101.00.8-18%
Robbery3580.91.4+34%
Other crime3000.72.1-11%
Possession of weapons2150.51.0-6%
Theft from the person1790.41.7-18%

What each category covers: crime categories.

1 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; the highest is Southampton district (133.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Dorset (54.0).

DistrictCrimesPer 1,000Rate vs Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
New Forest10,26658.3-34%
Dorset21,07254.0-38%
Southampton34,688133.7+52%
Isle of Wight11,83183.5-5%
Eastleigh9,43266.0-25%
Fareham7,05261.1-30%
Test Valley8,24361.0-31%
Gosport6,59879.6-9%

Of the 38 areas within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Bournemouth Central had the highest crime rate (295.8 per 1,000) and Highcliffe & Walkford the lowest (23.2), 13 times apart.

AreaTypePopulationCrimesPer 1,000
Bournemouth CentralNeighbourhood19,0895,647295.8
Poole TownNeighbourhood13,7112,454179.0
Boscombe WestNeighbourhood10,9261,673153.1
Westbourne & West CliffNeighbourhood11,1891,440128.7
Winton EastNeighbourhood12,4001,595128.6
BournemouthTown202,67721,896108.0
East Cliff & SpringbourneNeighbourhood17,0341,770103.9
KinsonNeighbourhood17,6511,788101.3
Wallisdown & Winton WestNeighbourhood10,9301,03694.8
Muscliff & Strouden ParkNeighbourhood17,5621,59490.8
Christchurch TownNeighbourhood10,16186885.4
Canford CliffsNeighbourhood8,28068282.4
Alderney & Bourne ValleyNeighbourhood16,7941,32679.0
Newtown & HeatherlandsNeighbourhood18,2471,43378.5
Boscombe East & PokesdownNeighbourhood11,56790878.5
Burton & GrangeNeighbourhood9,21571477.5
HamworthyNeighbourhood14,4541,10176.2
PooleTown145,15110,73974.0
Littledown & IfordNeighbourhood9,99269669.7
Talbot & Branksome WoodsNeighbourhood14,46699068.4
Queen's ParkNeighbourhood11,91773361.5
CreekmoorNeighbourhood9,74759160.6
CommonsNeighbourhood10,41362860.3
BearwoodTown5,07230259.5
Bearwood & MerleyNeighbourhood14,38185559.5
Canford HeathNeighbourhood14,08483058.9
Christchurch (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)Town47,7872,77358.0
ParkstoneNeighbourhood12,10269057.0
East Southbourne & TucktonNeighbourhood9,69850251.8
Penn HillNeighbourhood11,96361151.1
West SouthbourneNeighbourhood9,27346750.4
MoordownNeighbourhood10,57050447.7
Redhill & NorthbourneNeighbourhood10,10645545.0
OakdaleNeighbourhood10,59542440.0
Mudeford, Stanpit & West HighcliffeNeighbourhood11,04140436.6
BroadstoneNeighbourhood10,27430930.1
MerleyTown6,10216727.4
Highcliffe & WalkfordNeighbourhood9,13521223.2

The 10 locations below account for 22% of the crime recorded in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (2,374).

LocationCrimes
On or near Parking Area2,374
On or near Supermarket1,712
On or near Shopping Area1,233
On or near Petrol Station605
On or near Nightclub513
On or near Lansdowne Crescent386
On or near Sports/Recreation Area323
On or near Hospital317
On or near Theme/Adventure Park287
On or near Pine Road270

Of the 26,456 crimes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 9,474 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.

OutcomeCrimesShareEngland and Wales
Investigation complete; no suspect identified9,61036.3%35.3%
Unable to prosecute suspect8,50832.2%34.5%
Under investigation3,00911.4%11.5%
Awaiting court outcome1,7036.4%5.2%
Status update unavailable7873.0%4.7%
Local resolution7672.9%3.1%
Court result unavailable6242.4%2.5%
Further investigation is not in the public interest5292.0%0.5%
Action to be taken by another organisation4191.6%1.3%
Offender given a caution2460.9%0.6%
Formal action is not in the public interest1680.6%0.3%
Further action is not in the public interest620.2%0.3%

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has an estimated population of 408,967 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (11%, against 17%) and more private renting (25%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.

MeasureBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland and Wales
Aged 0 to 1516.1%18.3%
Aged 65 and over21.7%18.9%
Residents 16+ in work55.5%57.2%
Residents 16+ unemployed3.3%3.4%
Residents 16+ retired24.8%21.6%
Residents 16+ who are students8.9%7.9%
Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar)32.1%33.8%
Residents 16+ with no qualifications15.9%18.2%
Households with no car or van19.4%23.3%
Homes owned outright or with a mortgage63.5%62.5%
Social rented homes11.0%17.1%
Private rented homes25.4%20.3%
Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least)6.15.5 (England)
Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas4.5%10.1% (England)

4,966 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in 2024/25 (12.1 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.

Is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole a safe place to live?

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole recorded 87.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 140th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.

What is the most common crime in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?

Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 11,114 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (9,474).

Is crime in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole going up or down?

Recorded crime in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was down 1% on the year before: 35,930 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 36,398 in the previous 12 months.

What is the population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?

About 408,967 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).

Which police force covers Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is policed by Dorset.

Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.

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