Crime in Bitterne Park: statistics, rates and trends
1,114 crimes were recorded in Bitterne Park in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bitterne Park at a glance
- Crime trends in Bitterne Park
- Types of crime in Bitterne Park
- Bitterne Park compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bitterne Park
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bitterne Park
- Demographics of Bitterne Park
- Questions about crime in Bitterne Park
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (435), shoplifting (133) and vehicle crime (108) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,117th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Bitterne Park | Southampton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,114 | 34,688 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.7 | 133.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 15,314 | 259,424 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Bitterne Park of any year here (1,114 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,114 | 72.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,265 | 82.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,146 | 74.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,361 | 88.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,598 | 104.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,542 | 100.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,494 | 97.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,325 | 86.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,403 | 91.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 89 |
| July 2026 | 110 |
| June 2026 | 75 |
| May 2026 | 84 |
| April 2026 | 74 |
| March 2026 | 109 |
| February 2026 | 83 |
| January 2026 | 99 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| November 2025 | 114 |
| October 2025 | 98 |
| September 2025 | 105 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bitterne Park recorded notably more vehicle crime (42% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (60% below) and criminal damage and arson (35% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 95 to 133 and criminal damage and arson rose from 55 to 67, while burglary fell from 76 to 50 and violence and sexual offences fell from 574 to 435.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 435 | 28.4 | 34.2 | -24% |
| Shoplifting | 133 | 8.7 | 8.5 | +40% |
| Vehicle crime | 108 | 7.1 | 5.0 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 93 | 6.1 | 15.4 | -18% |
| Public order | 72 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 67 | 4.4 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Other theft | 67 | 4.4 | 6.4 | +18% |
| Burglary | 50 | 3.3 | 3.6 | -34% |
| Drugs | 38 | 2.5 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Other crime | 14 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bitterne Park; the highest is Bevois (162.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Bassett (63.4).
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Bitterne Park over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Trent Close” (85).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Trent Close | 85 |
| On or near Hill Cottage Gardens | 52 |
| On or near Cobden Court | 47 |
| On or near Hawkeswood Road | 34 |
| On or near Parking Area | 33 |
| On or near Neva Road | 31 |
| On or near Supermarket | 29 |
| On or near Edgehill Road | 25 |
| On or near Copsewood Road | 24 |
| On or near Englefield Road | 23 |
Of the 1,021 crimes in Bitterne Park with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 93 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 355 | 34.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 355 | 34.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 97 | 9.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 53 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 52 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 46 | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Bitterne Park has an estimated population of 15,314 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (11%, against 17%), more private renting (26%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bitterne Park average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bitterne Park | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bitterne Park a safe place to live?
Bitterne Park recorded 72.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,117th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Bitterne Park?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 435 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (133).
Is crime in Bitterne Park going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bitterne Park was down 12% on the year before: 1,114 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,265 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bitterne Park?
About 15,314 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bitterne Park?
Bitterne Park is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.