Crime in Melcombe Regis: statistics, rates and trends
1,820 crimes were recorded in Melcombe Regis in the 12 months to July 2026, 370.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Melcombe Regis at a glance
- Crime trends in Melcombe Regis
- Types of crime in Melcombe Regis
- Melcombe Regis compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Melcombe Regis
- What happened after crimes were reported in Melcombe Regis
- Population and deprivation in Melcombe Regis
- Questions about crime in Melcombe Regis
- About this data
1,820 crimes were recorded in Melcombe Regis in the 12 months to July 2026, 370.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 8% on the year before. The most common offence was anti-social behaviour, with 628 reports (35% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Melcombe Regis has the 39th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Melcombe Regis | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,820 | 20,740 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 370.1 | 53.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 4,918 | 389,947 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Melcombe Regis was highest in the year to July 2018 (3,122 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (1,820). Over the whole period it fell 42%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,820 | 370.1 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,973 | 401.2 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 2,036 | 414.0 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,999 | 406.5 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 2,437 | 495.5 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 2,138 | 434.7 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 2,256 | 458.7 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 2,777 | 564.7 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 3,122 | 634.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 193 |
| June 2026 | 144 |
| May 2026 | 176 |
| April 2026 | 169 |
| March 2026 | 153 |
| February 2026 | 128 |
| January 2026 | 122 |
| December 2025 | 180 |
| November 2025 | 122 |
| October 2025 | 115 |
| September 2025 | 154 |
| August 2025 | 164 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Melcombe Regis over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences, shoplifting. The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-52%) and burglary (-48%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 628 | 127.7 | 8.32 | -2% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 592 | 120.4 | 3.52 | -7% |
| Shoplifting | 156 | 31.7 | 3.83 | +0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 126 | 25.6 | 3.78 | -2% |
| Public order | 91 | 18.5 | 2.78 | -17% |
| Other theft | 63 | 12.8 | 2.00 | -32% |
| Drugs | 47 | 9.6 | 2.92 | -10% |
| Burglary | 31 | 6.3 | 1.78 | -48% |
| Robbery | 18 | 3.7 | 2.71 | +38% |
| Bicycle theft | 17 | 3.5 | 4.20 | -35% |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 3.3 | 3.35 | +300% |
| Vehicle crime | 14 | 2.8 | 0.58 | -52% |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 2.6 | 1.56 | +0% |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.6 | 0.77 | -56% |
Anti-social behaviour in Melcombe Regis
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Melcombe Regis recorded 628 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (127.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 2% on the year before. It made up 34.5% of all crime in the area.
Violence and sexual offences in Melcombe Regis
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Melcombe Regis recorded 592 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (120.4 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 32.5% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Melcombe Regis
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Melcombe Regis recorded 156 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (31.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 8.6% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Melcombe Regis
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Melcombe Regis recorded 126 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (25.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 2% on the year before. It made up 6.9% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Melcombe Regis
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Melcombe Regis recorded 91 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (18.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 5.0% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Melcombe Regis
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Melcombe Regis recorded 63 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (12.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 32% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Melcombe Regis
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Melcombe Regis recorded 47 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 2.6% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Melcombe Regis
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Melcombe Regis recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 48% on the year before. It made up 1.7% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Melcombe Regis
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Melcombe Regis recorded 18 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 38% on the year before. It made up 1.0% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Melcombe Regis
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Melcombe Regis recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 35% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Melcombe Regis
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Melcombe Regis recorded 16 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 300% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Melcombe Regis
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Melcombe Regis recorded 14 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 52% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Melcombe Regis
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Melcombe Regis recorded 13 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Melcombe Regis
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Melcombe Regis recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 56% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Melcombe Regis, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Melcombe Regis.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Melcombe Regis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radipole | 708 | 84.2 | -77% |
| Westham | 958 | 98.9 | -73% |
| Rodwell & Wyke | 728 | 52.4 | -86% |
| Chickerell | 565 | 62.4 | -83% |
| Littlemoor & Preston | 630 | 56.3 | -85% |
| Upwey & Broadwey | 210 | 55.6 | -85% |
| Portland | 884 | 64.3 | -83% |
| Winterborne & Broadmayne | 103 | 24.5 | -93% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Melcombe Regis over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 152 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 143 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 111 |
| On or near Great George Street | 109 |
| On or near New Street | 104 |
| On or near St Edmund Street | 83 |
| On or near St Nicholas Street | 73 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 61 |
| On or near Albert Street | 52 |
| On or near St Thomas Street | 49 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Melcombe Regis over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Not recorded | 628 | 34.5% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 454 | 24.9% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 303 | 16.6% |
| Under investigation | 122 | 6.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 116 | 6.4% |
| Court result unavailable | 65 | 3.6% |
| Local resolution | 57 | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 1.6% |
| Offender given a caution | 19 | 1.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 0.8% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.4% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.3% |
Melcombe Regis has an estimated population of 4,918. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Melcombe Regis sits in decile 2.0, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Melcombe Regis |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.0% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 62.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.2% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 41.9% |
| Social rented homes | 7.7% |
| Private rented homes | 50.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.0 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 67.5% |
Is Melcombe Regis a safe place to live?
Melcombe Regis recorded 370.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Melcombe Regis?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 628 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (592).
Is crime in Melcombe Regis going up or down?
Recorded crime in Melcombe Regis was down 8% on the year before: 1,820 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,973 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Melcombe Regis?
Melcombe Regis is policed by Dorset. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Melcombe Regis. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.