Crime in Lea & Larches: statistics, rates and trends
782 crimes were recorded in Lea & Larches in the 12 months to August 2026, 93.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lea & Larches at a glance
- Crime trends in Lea & Larches
- Types of crime in Lea & Larches
- Lea & Larches compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Lea & Larches
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lea & Larches
- Demographics of Lea & Larches
- Questions about crime in Lea & Larches
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (312), anti-social behaviour (173) and criminal damage and arson (80) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,396th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Lea & Larches | Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 782 | 20,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 93.8 | 127.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 8,336 | 162,864 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Lea & Larches of any year here (782 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 40%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 782 | 93.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 835 | 100.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 857 | 102.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 904 | 108.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,250 | 150.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,534 | 184.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,413 | 169.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,217 | 146.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,300 | 156.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 71 |
| July 2026 | 72 |
| June 2026 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 81 |
| April 2026 | 74 |
| March 2026 | 75 |
| February 2026 | 53 |
| January 2026 | 50 |
| December 2025 | 57 |
| November 2025 | 50 |
| October 2025 | 81 |
| September 2025 | 64 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lea & Larches recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (42% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (35% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (42% below) and public order (32% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 20 to 31, while vehicle crime fell from 46 to 24 and anti-social behaviour fell from 256 to 173.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 312 | 37.4 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 173 | 20.8 | 15.4 | -32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 80 | 9.6 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Other theft | 47 | 5.6 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Public order | 38 | 4.6 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Burglary | 31 | 3.7 | 3.6 | +55% |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 2.9 | 5.0 | -48% |
| Other crime | 19 | 2.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 19 | 2.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 14 | 1.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Lea & Larches; the highest is City Centre (409.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Preston Rural North (45.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lea & Larches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton | 1,372 | 134.1 | +43% |
| Ingol & Cottam | 1,102 | 90.5 | -3% |
| Cadley | 485 | 50.7 | -46% |
| Plungington | 1,711 | 141.2 | +51% |
| City Centre | 5,296 | 409.4 | +336% |
| Greyfriars | 387 | 49.8 | -47% |
| Preston Rural North | 360 | 45.8 | -51% |
| Deepdale | 1,341 | 128.4 | +37% |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Lea & Larches over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Blackpool Road” (33).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Blackpool Road | 33 |
| On or near Sheffield Drive | 31 |
| On or near Heywood Road | 28 |
| On or near Ashford Road | 26 |
| On or near Formby Place | 25 |
| On or near Layton Road | 23 |
| On or near Whinfield Place | 20 |
| On or near Alder Coppice | 19 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 18 |
| On or near Nelson Drive | 17 |
Of the 609 crimes in Lea & Larches with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 173 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 255 | 41.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 149 | 24.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 61 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 50 | 8.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 5 | 0.8% | 0.1% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 5 | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
Lea & Larches has an estimated population of 8,336 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (25%, against 17%), less private renting (12%, against 20%) and fewer students (5.7%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lea & Larches average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Lea & Larches | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 24.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lea & Larches a safe place to live?
Lea & Larches recorded 93.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,396th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Lea & Larches?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 312 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (173).
Is crime in Lea & Larches going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lea & Larches was down 6% on the year before: 782 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 835 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lea & Larches?
About 8,336 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lea & Larches?
Lea & Larches 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.