Crime in Ashton, Preston: statistics, rates and trends
1,372 crimes were recorded in Ashton, Preston in the 12 months to August 2026, 134.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ashton, Preston at a glance
- Crime trends in Ashton, Preston
- Types of crime in Ashton, Preston
- Ashton, Preston compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Ashton, Preston
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ashton, Preston
- Demographics of Ashton, Preston
- Questions about crime in Ashton, Preston
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (390), anti-social behaviour (320) and shoplifting (122) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 611th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Ashton, Preston | Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,372 | 20,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 134.1 | 127.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 10,228 | 162,864 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ashton, Preston of any year here (1,372 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,372 | 134.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,597 | 156.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,487 | 145.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,805 | 176.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,845 | 180.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,711 | 167.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,882 | 184.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,672 | 163.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,941 | 189.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 111 |
| July 2026 | 123 |
| June 2026 | 111 |
| May 2026 | 114 |
| April 2026 | 113 |
| March 2026 | 86 |
| February 2026 | 79 |
| January 2026 | 125 |
| December 2025 | 106 |
| November 2025 | 127 |
| October 2025 | 151 |
| September 2025 | 126 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ashton, Preston recorded notably more bicycle theft (5.9 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (87% above the national rate). On the year before, other theft rose from 76 to 100 and drugs rose from 23 to 27, while shoplifting fell from 186 to 122 and anti-social behaviour fell from 485 to 320.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 390 | 38.1 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 320 | 31.3 | 15.4 | -34% |
| Shoplifting | 122 | 11.9 | 8.5 | -34% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 108 | 10.6 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 100 | 9.8 | 6.4 | +32% |
| Vehicle crime | 95 | 9.3 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Public order | 58 | 5.7 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Burglary | 53 | 5.2 | 3.6 | -12% |
| Bicycle theft | 50 | 4.9 | 0.8 | -19% |
| Drugs | 27 | 2.6 | 3.3 | +17% |
| Other crime | 21 | 2.1 | 2.1 | -22% |
| Robbery | 16 | 1.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ashton, Preston; the highest is City Centre (409.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Greyfriars, Preston (49.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ashton, Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadley | 485 | 50.7 | -62% |
| Plungington | 1,711 | 141.2 | +5% |
| Lea & Larches | 782 | 93.8 | -30% |
| Ingol & Cottam | 1,102 | 90.5 | -33% |
| City Centre | 5,296 | 409.4 | +205% |
| Greyfriars | 387 | 49.8 | -63% |
| Deepdale | 1,341 | 128.4 | -4% |
| Sharoe Green | 819 | 98.6 | -26% |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Ashton, Preston over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (106).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 106 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 88 |
| On or near Parking Area | 73 |
| On or near Pedders Way | 52 |
| On or near A582 | 36 |
| On or near Douglas Street | 33 |
| On or near Colenso Road | 27 |
| On or near Dart Street | 27 |
| On or near A5085 | 26 |
| On or near Calder Street | 26 |
Of the 1,052 crimes in Ashton, Preston with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 320 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 417 | 39.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 325 | 30.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 106 | 10.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 60 | 5.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 55 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 35 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 6 | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
Ashton, Preston has an estimated population of 10,228 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (10%, against 17%) and more private renting (28%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ashton, Preston average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ashton, Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ashton, Preston a safe place to live?
Ashton, Preston recorded 134.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 611th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Ashton, Preston?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 390 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (320).
Is crime in Ashton, Preston going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ashton, Preston was down 14% on the year before: 1,372 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,597 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ashton, Preston?
About 10,228 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ashton, Preston?
Ashton, Preston is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.