Crime in Canford Heath: statistics, rates and trends
830 crimes were recorded in Canford Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 58.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Canford Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Canford Heath
- Types of crime in Canford Heath
- Canford Heath compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Canford Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Canford Heath
- Demographics of Canford Heath
- Questions about crime in Canford Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (305), anti-social behaviour (219) and other theft (66) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,658th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Canford Heath | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 830 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.9 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,084 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Canford Heath of any year here (830 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 830 | 58.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,039 | 73.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 962 | 68.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,133 | 80.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,151 | 81.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 942 | 66.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,177 | 83.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,480 | 105.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,266 | 89.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 83 |
| July 2026 | 84 |
| June 2026 | 73 |
| May 2026 | 82 |
| April 2026 | 79 |
| March 2026 | 65 |
| February 2026 | 56 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 63 |
| October 2025 | 64 |
| September 2025 | 67 |
Compared with England and Wales, Canford Heath recorded notably more bicycle theft (81% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (66% below) and public order (61% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 31 to 40, while criminal damage and arson fell from 80 to 46 and anti-social behaviour fell from 324 to 219.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 305 | 21.7 | 34.2 | -16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 219 | 15.5 | 15.4 | -32% |
| Other theft | 66 | 4.7 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 46 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -42% |
| Vehicle crime | 41 | 2.9 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 40 | 2.8 | 8.5 | +29% |
| Burglary | 37 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Public order | 37 | 2.6 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 1.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Canford Heath; the highest is Poole Town (179.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Broadstone (30.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Canford Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale | 424 | 40.0 | -32% |
| Creekmoor | 591 | 60.6 | +3% |
| Newtown & Heatherlands | 1,433 | 78.5 | +33% |
| Broadstone | 309 | 30.1 | -49% |
| Bearwood & Merley | 855 | 59.5 | +1% |
| Parkstone | 690 | 57.0 | -3% |
| Alderney & Bourne Valley | 1,326 | 79.0 | +34% |
| Poole Town | 2,454 | 179.0 | +204% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Canford Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (77).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 77 |
| On or near Terence Avenue | 44 |
| On or near Parking Area | 34 |
| On or near Ashdown Close | 29 |
| On or near Chedington Close | 27 |
| On or near Hasler Road | 24 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 24 |
| On or near Gilmour Drive | 23 |
| On or near Yeatminster Road | 23 |
| On or near Holly Hedge Lane | 22 |
Of the 611 crimes in Canford Heath with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 219 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 226 | 37.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 221 | 36.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 77 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 3.4% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 2.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 0.5% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Canford Heath has an estimated population of 14,084 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), fewer students (5.2%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Canford Heath average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Canford Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Canford Heath a safe place to live?
Canford Heath recorded 58.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,658th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Canford Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 305 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (219).
Is crime in Canford Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Canford Heath was down 20% on the year before: 830 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,039 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Canford Heath?
About 14,084 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Canford Heath?
Canford Heath 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.