Crime in Commons: statistics, rates and trends
628 crimes were recorded in Commons in the 12 months to August 2026, 60.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (180), anti-social behaviour (175) and criminal damage and arson (50) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,605th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Commons | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 628 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 60.3 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 10,413 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Commons peaked in the year to August 2021 (713 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (522). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 628 | 60.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 554 | 53.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 522 | 50.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 550 | 52.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 644 | 61.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 713 | 68.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 674 | 64.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 681 | 65.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 648 | 62.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 52 |
| July 2026 | 68 |
| June 2026 | 64 |
| May 2026 | 71 |
| April 2026 | 41 |
| March 2026 | 43 |
| February 2026 | 44 |
| January 2026 | 45 |
| December 2025 | 35 |
| November 2025 | 51 |
| October 2025 | 63 |
| September 2025 | 51 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (64% below) and public order (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 113 to 175 and public order rose from 22 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 180 | 17.3 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 175 | 16.8 | 15.4 | +55% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 50 | 4.8 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 48 | 4.6 | 5.0 | +4% |
| Other theft | 45 | 4.3 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 32 | 3.1 | 8.5 | -6% |
| Public order | 30 | 2.9 | 6.7 | +36% |
| Burglary | 27 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -10% |
| Drugs | 14 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Commons; the highest is Boscombe West (153.1 per 1,000) and the lowest West Southbourne (50.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Commons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch Town | 868 | 85.4 | +42% |
| Littledown & Iford | 696 | 69.7 | +15% |
| West Southbourne | 467 | 50.4 | -16% |
| East Southbourne & Tuckton | 502 | 51.8 | -14% |
| Burton & Grange | 714 | 77.5 | +28% |
| Boscombe East & Pokesdown | 908 | 78.5 | +30% |
| Muscliff & Strouden Park | 1,594 | 90.8 | +50% |
| Boscombe West | 1,673 | 153.1 | +154% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Commons over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Bailey Drive” (99).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Bailey Drive | 99 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 42 |
| On or near Parking Area | 25 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 22 |
| On or near Barrack Road | 20 |
| On or near Rutland Road | 19 |
| On or near Avon Causeway | 17 |
| On or near Parley Lane | 16 |
| On or near Sandy Lane | 14 |
| On or near Lone Pines Close | 13 |
Of the 453 crimes in Commons with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 175 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 190 | 41.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 132 | 29.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 12 | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.8% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
Commons has an estimated population of 10,413 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (8.3%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and an older population (28%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Commons average decile 7.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Commons | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Commons a safe place to live?
Commons recorded 60.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,605th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Commons?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 180 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (175).
Is crime in Commons going up or down?
Recorded crime in Commons was up 13% on the year before: 628 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 554 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Commons?
About 10,413 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Commons?
Commons 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.