Crime in Charles Dickens: statistics, rates and trends
6,044 crimes were recorded in Charles Dickens in the 12 months to August 2026, 255.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Charles Dickens at a glance
- Crime trends in Charles Dickens
- Types of crime in Charles Dickens
- Charles Dickens compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Charles Dickens
- What happened after crimes were reported in Charles Dickens
- Demographics of Charles Dickens
- Questions about crime in Charles Dickens
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,228), anti-social behaviour (724) and shoplifting (691) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 114th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Charles Dickens | Portsmouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 6,044 | 26,789 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 255.5 | 125.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 23,655 | 214,321 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Charles Dickens of any year here (6,044 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 6,044 | 255.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,283 | 265.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,391 | 270.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 7,124 | 301.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 7,490 | 316.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 6,116 | 258.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,404 | 270.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 6,576 | 278.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 8,084 | 341.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 565 |
| July 2026 | 593 |
| June 2026 | 514 |
| May 2026 | 561 |
| April 2026 | 466 |
| March 2026 | 526 |
| February 2026 | 377 |
| January 2026 | 414 |
| December 2025 | 429 |
| November 2025 | 532 |
| October 2025 | 512 |
| September 2025 | 555 |
Compared with England and Wales, Charles Dickens recorded notably more bicycle theft (6.9 times the national rate), possession of weapons (4.8 times the national rate) and robbery (3.9 times the national rate). On the year before, robbery rose from 70 to 127 and vehicle crime rose from 131 to 219.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,228 | 94.2 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 724 | 30.6 | 15.4 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 691 | 29.2 | 8.5 | -11% |
| Public order | 548 | 23.2 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 360 | 15.2 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 329 | 13.9 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Drugs | 293 | 12.4 | 3.3 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 219 | 9.3 | 5.0 | +67% |
| Bicycle theft | 135 | 5.7 | 0.8 | -13% |
| Burglary | 127 | 5.4 | 3.6 | -5% |
| Robbery | 127 | 5.4 | 1.4 | +81% |
| Possession of weapons | 111 | 4.7 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Other crime | 87 | 3.7 | 2.1 | +2% |
| Theft from the person | 65 | 2.7 | 1.7 | +12% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Charles Dickens has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Charles Dickens |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Thomas | 2,480 | 162.8 | -36% |
| Fratton | 1,547 | 94.7 | -63% |
| Central Southsea | 1,653 | 101.2 | -60% |
| St Jude | 1,985 | 165.1 | -35% |
| Nelson | 2,229 | 138.9 | -46% |
| Baffins | 1,274 | 81.7 | -68% |
| Milton | 1,382 | 94.3 | -63% |
| Eastney and Craneswater | 1,169 | 93.0 | -64% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Charles Dickens over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (814).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 814 |
| On or near Guildhall Walk | 339 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 268 |
| On or near Buckingham Street | 221 |
| On or near Kingswell Street | 169 |
| On or near Supermarket | 163 |
| On or near Jacob'S Street | 131 |
| On or near Surrey Street | 126 |
| On or near Ordnance Row | 109 |
| On or near Cumberland Road | 107 |
Of the 5,320 crimes in Charles Dickens with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 724 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,939 | 36.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,764 | 33.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 523 | 9.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 319 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 315 | 5.9% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 129 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 114 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 72 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 50 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 46 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 45 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Charles Dickens has an estimated population of 23,655 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (36.2%, against 7.9%), more social housing (64%, against 17%) and more unemployed residents (8.5%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Charles Dickens average decile 1.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Charles Dickens | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 35.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 8.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 36.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 57.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 15.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 63.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 58.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Charles Dickens a safe place to live?
Charles Dickens recorded 255.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 114th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Charles Dickens?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,228 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (724).
Is crime in Charles Dickens going up or down?
Recorded crime in Charles Dickens was down 4% on the year before: 6,044 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,283 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Charles Dickens?
About 23,655 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.5% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Charles Dickens?
Charles Dickens 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.