Crime in Littledown & Iford: statistics, rates and trends
696 crimes were recorded in Littledown & Iford in the 12 months to August 2026, 69.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Littledown & Iford at a glance
- Crime trends in Littledown & Iford
- Types of crime in Littledown & Iford
- Littledown & Iford compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Littledown & Iford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Littledown & Iford
- Demographics of Littledown & Iford
- Questions about crime in Littledown & Iford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (215), anti-social behaviour (157) and vehicle crime (73) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,245th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Littledown & Iford | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 696 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 69.7 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 9,992 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Littledown & Iford peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,031 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (689). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 696 | 69.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 689 | 69.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 819 | 82.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 844 | 84.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 879 | 88.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 958 | 95.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,016 | 101.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,031 | 103.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,019 | 102.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 53 |
| July 2026 | 97 |
| June 2026 | 56 |
| May 2026 | 51 |
| April 2026 | 59 |
| March 2026 | 52 |
| February 2026 | 63 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 63 |
| November 2025 | 48 |
| October 2025 | 61 |
| September 2025 | 42 |
Compared with England and Wales, Littledown & Iford recorded notably more bicycle theft (4.1 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (47% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (37% below) and criminal damage and arson (36% below). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 26 to 34 and burglary rose from 27 to 35, while other theft fell from 53 to 43.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 215 | 21.5 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 157 | 15.7 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 73 | 7.3 | 5.0 | +22% |
| Public order | 49 | 4.9 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 43 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Other theft | 43 | 4.3 | 6.4 | -19% |
| Burglary | 35 | 3.5 | 3.6 | +30% |
| Bicycle theft | 34 | 3.4 | 0.8 | +31% |
| Drugs | 14 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 1.0 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Littledown & Iford; the highest is Boscombe West (153.1 per 1,000) and the lowest West Southbourne (50.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Littledown & Iford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boscombe East & Pokesdown | 908 | 78.5 | +13% |
| West Southbourne | 467 | 50.4 | -28% |
| Commons | 628 | 60.3 | -13% |
| Boscombe West | 1,673 | 153.1 | +120% |
| East Southbourne & Tuckton | 502 | 51.8 | -26% |
| Queen's Park | 733 | 61.5 | -12% |
| Muscliff & Strouden Park | 1,594 | 90.8 | +30% |
| East Cliff & Springbourne | 1,770 | 103.9 | +49% |
The 10 locations below account for 58% of the crime recorded in Littledown & Iford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (139).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 139 |
| On or near Parking Area | 57 |
| On or near Supermarket | 52 |
| On or near Hambledon Gardens | 38 |
| On or near Hambledon Road | 32 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 29 |
| On or near King'S Park Drive | 18 |
| On or near Leeson Road | 14 |
| On or near Shepherds Way | 14 |
| On or near Water Lane | 14 |
Of the 539 crimes in Littledown & Iford with a recorded outcome, 45% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 157 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 241 | 44.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 181 | 33.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 43 | 8.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 18 | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Littledown & Iford has an estimated population of 9,992 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (4.1%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (12%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Littledown & Iford average decile 8.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Littledown & Iford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 4.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Littledown & Iford a safe place to live?
Littledown & Iford recorded 69.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,245th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Littledown & Iford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 215 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (157).
Is crime in Littledown & Iford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Littledown & Iford was up 1% on the year before: 696 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 689 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Littledown & Iford?
About 9,992 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Littledown & Iford?
Littledown & Iford 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.