Crime in Bearwood & Merley: statistics, rates and trends
855 crimes were recorded in Bearwood & Merley in the 12 months to August 2026, 59.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bearwood & Merley at a glance
- Crime trends in Bearwood & Merley
- Types of crime in Bearwood & Merley
- Bearwood & Merley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bearwood & Merley
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bearwood & Merley
- Demographics of Bearwood & Merley
- Questions about crime in Bearwood & Merley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (266), anti-social behaviour (187) and shoplifting (124) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,637th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Bearwood & Merley | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 855 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.5 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,381 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bearwood & Merley peaked in the year to August 2025 (890 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (805). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 855 | 59.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 890 | 61.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 881 | 61.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 860 | 59.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 852 | 59.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 805 | 56.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 875 | 60.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 815 | 56.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 822 | 57.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 104 |
| July 2026 | 96 |
| June 2026 | 85 |
| May 2026 | 74 |
| April 2026 | 65 |
| March 2026 | 90 |
| February 2026 | 67 |
| January 2026 | 61 |
| December 2025 | 55 |
| November 2025 | 58 |
| October 2025 | 48 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (54% below) and other theft (50% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 28 to 48 and anti-social behaviour rose from 144 to 187, while shoplifting fell from 192 to 124 and other theft fell from 66 to 46.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 266 | 18.5 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 187 | 13.0 | 15.4 | +30% |
| Shoplifting | 124 | 8.6 | 8.5 | -35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 72 | 5.0 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Vehicle crime | 48 | 3.3 | 5.0 | +71% |
| Other theft | 46 | 3.2 | 6.4 | -30% |
| Public order | 44 | 3.1 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Burglary | 43 | 3.0 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Drugs | 7 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bearwood & Merley; the highest is Kinson (101.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Broadstone (30.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bearwood & Merley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canford Heath | 830 | 58.9 | -1% |
| Kinson | 1,788 | 101.3 | +70% |
| Broadstone | 309 | 30.1 | -49% |
| Alderney & Bourne Valley | 1,326 | 79.0 | +33% |
| Newtown & Heatherlands | 1,433 | 78.5 | +32% |
| Redhill & Northbourne | 455 | 45.0 | -24% |
| Wallisdown & Winton West | 1,036 | 94.8 | +59% |
| Creekmoor | 591 | 60.6 | +2% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Bearwood & Merley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (138).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 138 |
| On or near King John Close | 48 |
| On or near Anchor Road | 35 |
| On or near Monks Way | 33 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 31 |
| On or near Paddington Close | 27 |
| On or near A341 | 19 |
| On or near Stillmore Road | 19 |
| On or near Knighton Lane | 18 |
| On or near Plantagenet Crescent | 18 |
Of the 668 crimes in Bearwood & Merley with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 187 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 224 | 33.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 219 | 32.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 69 | 10.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 65 | 9.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 24 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 13 | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Bearwood & Merley has an estimated population of 14,381 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (8.6%, against 23.3%), less social housing (7.6%, against 17.1%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bearwood & Merley average decile 7.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Bearwood & Merley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 81.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bearwood & Merley a safe place to live?
Bearwood & Merley recorded 59.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,637th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Bearwood & Merley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 266 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (187).
Is crime in Bearwood & Merley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bearwood & Merley was down 4% on the year before: 855 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 890 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bearwood & Merley?
About 14,381 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bearwood & Merley?
Bearwood & Merley 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.