Crime in Melcombe Regis: statistics, rates and trends
1,884 crimes were recorded in Melcombe Regis in the 12 months to August 2026, 383.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Melcombe Regis
- Questions about crime in Melcombe Regis
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (654), violence and sexual offences (602) and shoplifting (174) made up 76% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 39th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Melcombe Regis | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,884 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 383.1 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 4,918 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Melcombe Regis of any year here (1,884 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 39%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,884 | 383.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,913 | 389.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,046 | 416.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,984 | 403.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,415 | 491.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,178 | 442.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,239 | 455.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,657 | 540.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,107 | 631.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 228 |
| 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 |
Compared with England and Wales, Melcombe Regis recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (8.7 times the national rate), shoplifting (4.2 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (3.6 times the national rate). On the year before, burglary fell from 55 to 36 and other theft fell from 88 to 65.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 654 | 133.0 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 602 | 122.4 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 174 | 35.4 | 8.5 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 121 | 24.6 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Public order | 100 | 20.3 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 65 | 13.2 | 6.4 | -26% |
| Drugs | 52 | 10.6 | 3.3 | -2% |
| Burglary | 36 | 7.3 | 3.6 | -35% |
| Robbery | 17 | 3.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 3.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 3.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 13 | 2.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 2.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Melcombe Regis has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Melcombe Regis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radipole | 711 | 84.5 | -78% |
| Westham | 971 | 100.2 | -74% |
| Rodwell & Wyke | 745 | 53.6 | -86% |
| Chickerell | 571 | 63.1 | -84% |
| Littlemoor & Preston | 636 | 56.9 | -85% |
| Upwey & Broadwey | 228 | 60.4 | -84% |
| Portland | 912 | 66.3 | -83% |
| Winterborne & Broadmayne | 97 | 23.1 | -94% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Melcombe Regis over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (164).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 164 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 154 |
| On or near Great George Street | 122 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 108 |
| On or near New Street | 102 |
| On or near St Edmund Street | 83 |
| On or near St Nicholas Street | 81 |
| On or near St Thomas Street | 60 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 60 |
| On or near Albert Street | 57 |
Of the 1,230 crimes in Melcombe Regis with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 10% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 654 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 461 | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 295 | 24.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 143 | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 124 | 10.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 70 | 5.7% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 65 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 26 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 2.0% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Melcombe Regis has an estimated population of 4,918 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (50%, against 20%), more households without a car (44%, against 23%) and fewer students (3.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Melcombe Regis average decile 2.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Melcombe Regis | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 43.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 41.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 50.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 67.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Melcombe Regis a safe place to live?
Melcombe Regis recorded 383.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 39th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Melcombe Regis?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 654 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (602).
Is crime in Melcombe Regis going up or down?
Recorded crime in Melcombe Regis was down 2% on the year before: 1,884 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,913 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Melcombe Regis?
About 4,918 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Melcombe Regis?
Melcombe Regis 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.