Crime in Dorchester East: statistics, rates and trends
466 crimes were recorded in Dorchester East in the 12 months to August 2026, 50.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dorchester East at a glance
- Crime trends in Dorchester East
- Types of crime in Dorchester East
- Dorchester East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Dorchester East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dorchester East
- Demographics of Dorchester East
- Questions about crime in Dorchester East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (156), anti-social behaviour (117) and shoplifting (48) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,010th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Dorchester East | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 466 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 50.4 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 9,246 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dorchester East of any year here (466 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 36%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 466 | 50.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 546 | 59.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 497 | 53.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 574 | 62.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 538 | 58.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 641 | 69.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 769 | 83.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 684 | 74.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 730 | 79.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 36 |
| July 2026 | 38 |
| June 2026 | 39 |
| May 2026 | 33 |
| April 2026 | 33 |
| March 2026 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 32 |
| January 2026 | 38 |
| December 2025 | 48 |
| November 2025 | 48 |
| October 2025 | 52 |
| September 2025 | 32 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (56% below) and violence and sexual offences (51% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 36 to 48, while violence and sexual offences fell from 192 to 156.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 156 | 16.9 | 34.2 | -19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 117 | 12.7 | 15.4 | -11% |
| Shoplifting | 48 | 5.2 | 8.5 | +33% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 36 | 3.9 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Other theft | 34 | 3.7 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 27 | 2.9 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 13 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 0.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Dorchester East; the highest is Dorchester West (101.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Charminster St Mary's (21.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dorchester East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester West | 735 | 101.7 | +102% |
| Dorchester Poundbury | 430 | 70.0 | +39% |
| Winterborne & Broadmayne | 97 | 23.1 | -54% |
| Charminster St Mary's | 166 | 21.1 | -58% |
| Littlemoor & Preston | 636 | 56.9 | +13% |
| Crossways | 158 | 38.2 | -24% |
| Upwey & Broadwey | 228 | 60.4 | +20% |
| Radipole | 711 | 84.5 | +68% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Dorchester East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Little Britain” (44).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Little Britain | 44 |
| On or near Great Western Road | 26 |
| On or near B3144 | 21 |
| On or near Holbaek Close | 19 |
| On or near Linden Avenue | 17 |
| On or near Parking Area | 17 |
| On or near Copper Street | 16 |
| On or near London Close | 15 |
| On or near Salisbury Street | 15 |
| On or near Wilson Road | 15 |
Of the 349 crimes in Dorchester East with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 117 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 109 | 31.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 93 | 26.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 34 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 8.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 24 | 6.9% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 6.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Dorchester East has an estimated population of 9,246 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (32%, against 22%), an older population (28%, against 19%) and fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dorchester East average decile 6.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Dorchester East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dorchester East a safe place to live?
Dorchester East recorded 50.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,010th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Dorchester East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 156 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (117).
Is crime in Dorchester East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dorchester East was down 15% on the year before: 466 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 546 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dorchester East?
About 9,246 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dorchester East?
Dorchester East 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.