Crime in Boscombe West: statistics, rates and trends
1,673 crimes were recorded in Boscombe West in the 12 months to August 2026, 153.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Boscombe West at a glance
- Crime trends in Boscombe West
- Types of crime in Boscombe West
- Boscombe West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Boscombe West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Boscombe West
- Demographics of Boscombe West
- Questions about crime in Boscombe West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (528), anti-social behaviour (444) and vehicle crime (114) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 407th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Boscombe West | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,673 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 153.1 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 10,926 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Boscombe West peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,761 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,541). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 39%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,673 | 153.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,541 | 141.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,713 | 156.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,702 | 155.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,100 | 192.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,266 | 207.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,445 | 223.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,623 | 240.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,761 | 252.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 185 |
| July 2026 | 205 |
| June 2026 | 163 |
| May 2026 | 162 |
| April 2026 | 144 |
| March 2026 | 124 |
| February 2026 | 122 |
| January 2026 | 117 |
| December 2025 | 110 |
| November 2025 | 106 |
| October 2025 | 117 |
| September 2025 | 118 |
Compared with England and Wales, Boscombe West recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (2.6 times the national rate), bicycle theft (2.2 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (2.1 times the national rate). On the year before, drugs rose from 29 to 49 and vehicle crime rose from 80 to 114.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 528 | 48.3 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 444 | 40.6 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 114 | 10.4 | 5.0 | +42% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 109 | 10.0 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 101 | 9.2 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Shoplifting | 95 | 8.7 | 8.5 | -7% |
| Public order | 89 | 8.1 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Burglary | 56 | 5.1 | 3.6 | +12% |
| Drugs | 49 | 4.5 | 3.3 | +69% |
| Robbery | 29 | 2.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0% |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 1.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Boscombe West; the highest is Bournemouth Central (295.8 per 1,000) and the lowest West Southbourne (50.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Boscombe West |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Cliff & Springbourne | 1,770 | 103.9 | -32% |
| Boscombe East & Pokesdown | 908 | 78.5 | -49% |
| Queen's Park | 733 | 61.5 | -60% |
| Bournemouth Central | 5,647 | 295.8 | +93% |
| Littledown & Iford | 696 | 69.7 | -55% |
| West Southbourne | 467 | 50.4 | -67% |
| Winton East | 1,595 | 128.6 | -16% |
| Muscliff & Strouden Park | 1,594 | 90.8 | -41% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Boscombe West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (204).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 204 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 124 |
| On or near Roumelia Lane | 74 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 69 |
| On or near Wharncliffe Road | 68 |
| On or near Supermarket | 65 |
| On or near The Crescent | 47 |
| On or near Boscombe Spa Road | 45 |
| On or near Hamilton Close | 45 |
| On or near Undercliff Road | 44 |
Of the 1,229 crimes in Boscombe West with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 444 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 457 | 37.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 435 | 35.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 123 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 59 | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 43 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 30 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 24 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Boscombe West has an estimated population of 10,926 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (60%, against 20%), more households without a car (39%, against 23%) and less home ownership (30%, against 63%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Boscombe West average decile 2.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Boscombe West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 38.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 29.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 60.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 37.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Boscombe West a safe place to live?
Boscombe West recorded 153.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 407th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Boscombe West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 528 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (444).
Is crime in Boscombe West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Boscombe West was up 9% on the year before: 1,673 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,541 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Boscombe West?
About 10,926 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Boscombe West?
Boscombe West 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.