Crime in Darwen East: statistics, rates and trends
1,386 crimes were recorded in Darwen East in the 12 months to August 2026, 129.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Darwen East at a glance
- Crime trends in Darwen East
- Types of crime in Darwen East
- Darwen East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Darwen East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Darwen East
- Demographics of Darwen East
- Questions about crime in Darwen East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (603), anti-social behaviour (301) and criminal damage and arson (102) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 692nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Darwen East | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,386 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 129.4 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 10,714 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Darwen East of any year here (1,386 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,386 | 129.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,562 | 145.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,537 | 143.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,614 | 150.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,730 | 161.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,047 | 191.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,789 | 167.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,578 | 147.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,585 | 147.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 115 |
| July 2026 | 85 |
| June 2026 | 123 |
| May 2026 | 116 |
| April 2026 | 104 |
| March 2026 | 112 |
| February 2026 | 116 |
| January 2026 | 123 |
| December 2025 | 131 |
| November 2025 | 123 |
| October 2025 | 98 |
| September 2025 | 140 |
Compared with England and Wales, Darwen East recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.2 times the national rate), other crime (90% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (83% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (61% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 24 to 32 and burglary rose from 40 to 48, while criminal damage and arson fell from 152 to 102 and shoplifting fell from 50 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 603 | 56.3 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 301 | 28.1 | 15.4 | -30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 102 | 9.5 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Vehicle crime | 67 | 6.3 | 5.0 | -17% |
| Public order | 62 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Other theft | 59 | 5.5 | 6.4 | -13% |
| Burglary | 48 | 4.5 | 3.6 | +20% |
| Other crime | 43 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 35 | 3.3 | 8.5 | -30% |
| Drugs | 32 | 3.0 | 3.3 | +33% |
| Possession of weapons | 23 | 2.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Darwen East; the highest is Blackburn Central (259.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Darwen South (61.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Darwen East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen West | 949 | 121.2 | -6% |
| Darwen South | 597 | 61.8 | -52% |
| Blackburn South & Lower Darwen | 708 | 74.1 | -43% |
| Ewood | 1,172 | 127.0 | -2% |
| Blackburn South East | 1,157 | 145.2 | +12% |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate | 1,157 | 144.7 | +12% |
| Blackburn Central | 3,329 | 259.6 | +101% |
| Audley & Queen's Park | 1,632 | 143.8 | +11% |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Darwen East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sandringham Road” (74).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sandringham Road | 74 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 73 |
| On or near Linden Crescent | 58 |
| On or near Anyon Street | 41 |
| On or near Preston Street | 38 |
| On or near Blackburn Road | 35 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 34 |
| On or near Two Gates Drive | 27 |
| On or near Atlas Road | 21 |
| On or near Falcon Avenue | 21 |
Of the 1,085 crimes in Darwen East with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 301 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 479 | 44.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 261 | 24.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 99 | 9.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 76 | 7.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 53 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 40 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 27 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 26 | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Darwen East has an estimated population of 10,714 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (32%, against 20%), more households without a car (35%, against 23%) and more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Darwen East average decile 1.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Darwen East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 35.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 49.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 59.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Darwen East a safe place to live?
Darwen East recorded 129.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 692nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Darwen East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 603 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (301).
Is crime in Darwen East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Darwen East was down 11% on the year before: 1,386 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,562 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Darwen East?
About 10,714 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Darwen East?
Darwen East is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.