Crime in Canford Cliffs: statistics, rates and trends
682 crimes were recorded in Canford Cliffs in the 12 months to August 2026, 82.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Canford Cliffs at a glance
- Crime trends in Canford Cliffs
- Types of crime in Canford Cliffs
- Canford Cliffs compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Canford Cliffs
- What happened after crimes were reported in Canford Cliffs
- Demographics of Canford Cliffs
- Questions about crime in Canford Cliffs
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (196), violence and sexual offences (181) and shoplifting (77) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,748th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Canford Cliffs | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 682 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 82.4 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 8,280 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Canford Cliffs peaked in the year to August 2021 (907 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (629). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 682 | 82.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 670 | 80.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 629 | 76.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 699 | 84.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 848 | 102.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 907 | 109.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 868 | 104.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 692 | 83.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 775 | 93.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 69 |
| July 2026 | 83 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 86 |
| April 2026 | 63 |
| March 2026 | 50 |
| February 2026 | 69 |
| January 2026 | 30 |
| December 2025 | 34 |
| November 2025 | 40 |
| October 2025 | 37 |
| September 2025 | 55 |
Compared with England and Wales, Canford Cliffs recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (54% above the national rate) and burglary (36% above the national rate), and notably less public order (42% below) and vehicle crime (39% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 134 to 181 and other theft rose from 46 to 59, while vehicle crime fell from 50 to 25 and burglary fell from 66 to 40.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 196 | 23.7 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 181 | 21.9 | 34.2 | +35% |
| Shoplifting | 77 | 9.3 | 8.5 | -6% |
| Other theft | 59 | 7.1 | 6.4 | +28% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 42 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +20% |
| Burglary | 40 | 4.8 | 3.6 | -39% |
| Public order | 32 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Vehicle crime | 25 | 3.0 | 5.0 | -50% |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Canford Cliffs; the highest is Bournemouth Central (295.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Penn Hill (51.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Canford Cliffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn Hill | 611 | 51.1 | -38% |
| Westbourne & West Cliff | 1,440 | 128.7 | +56% |
| Parkstone | 690 | 57.0 | -31% |
| Talbot & Branksome Woods | 990 | 68.4 | -17% |
| Newtown & Heatherlands | 1,433 | 78.5 | -5% |
| Alderney & Bourne Valley | 1,326 | 79.0 | -4% |
| Bournemouth Central | 5,647 | 295.8 | +259% |
| Wallisdown & Winton West | 1,036 | 94.8 | +15% |
The 10 locations below account for 69% of the crime recorded in Canford Cliffs over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (166).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 166 |
| On or near Supermarket | 101 |
| On or near Hospital | 63 |
| On or near Chaddesley Wood Road | 44 |
| On or near Langley Road | 24 |
| On or near Ferry Way | 21 |
| On or near Theme/Adventure Park | 16 |
| On or near Brownsea Road | 15 |
| On or near Doyne Road | 11 |
| On or near Salter Road | 9 |
Of the 486 crimes in Canford Cliffs with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 196 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 199 | 40.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 124 | 25.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 74 | 15.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 24 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 24 | 4.9% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 13 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Canford Cliffs has an estimated population of 8,280 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (45%, against 19%), more retired residents (48%, against 22%) and less social housing (2.3%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Canford Cliffs average decile 8.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Canford Cliffs | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 9.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 45.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 39.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 47.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 2.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Canford Cliffs a safe place to live?
Canford Cliffs recorded 82.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,748th 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 burglary.
What is the most common crime in Canford Cliffs?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 196 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (181).
Is crime in Canford Cliffs going up or down?
Recorded crime in Canford Cliffs was up 2% on the year before: 682 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 670 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Canford Cliffs?
About 8,280 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 45% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Canford Cliffs?
Canford Cliffs 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.