Crime in Penn Hill: statistics, rates and trends
611 crimes were recorded in Penn Hill in the 12 months to August 2026, 51.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Penn Hill at a glance
- Crime trends in Penn Hill
- Types of crime in Penn Hill
- Penn Hill compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Penn Hill
- What happened after crimes were reported in Penn Hill
- Demographics of Penn Hill
- Questions about crime in Penn Hill
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (191), anti-social behaviour (176) and vehicle crime (58) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,983rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Penn Hill | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 611 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 51.1 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 11,963 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Penn Hill of any year here (611 crimes). 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 | 611 | 51.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 621 | 51.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 661 | 55.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 736 | 61.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 855 | 71.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,057 | 88.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,055 | 88.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 944 | 78.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 895 | 74.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 57 |
| July 2026 | 71 |
| June 2026 | 59 |
| May 2026 | 73 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| March 2026 | 29 |
| February 2026 | 56 |
| January 2026 | 45 |
| December 2025 | 43 |
| November 2025 | 41 |
| October 2025 | 49 |
| September 2025 | 43 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (71% below) and shoplifting (68% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 114 to 176 and criminal damage and arson rose from 33 to 44, while burglary fell from 53 to 23 and vehicle crime fell from 83 to 58.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 191 | 16.0 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 176 | 14.7 | 15.4 | +54% |
| Vehicle crime | 58 | 4.8 | 5.0 | -30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 44 | 3.7 | 6.7 | +33% |
| Other theft | 37 | 3.1 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 32 | 2.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 23 | 1.9 | 3.6 | -57% |
| Public order | 23 | 1.9 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Drugs | 10 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 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.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Penn Hill; the highest is Poole Town (179.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Oakdale, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (40.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Penn Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkstone | 690 | 57.0 | +12% |
| Canford Cliffs | 682 | 82.4 | +61% |
| Newtown & Heatherlands | 1,433 | 78.5 | +54% |
| Alderney & Bourne Valley | 1,326 | 79.0 | +55% |
| Westbourne & West Cliff | 1,440 | 128.7 | +152% |
| Poole Town | 2,454 | 179.0 | +250% |
| Oakdale | 424 | 40.0 | -22% |
| Talbot & Branksome Woods | 990 | 68.4 | +34% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Penn Hill over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (62).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 62 |
| On or near Bournemouth Road | 39 |
| On or near Alington Road | 32 |
| On or near Madeira Road | 30 |
| On or near Ashley Road | 28 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 19 |
| On or near Randolph Road | 18 |
| On or near Becher Road | 16 |
| On or near Crescent Road | 13 |
| On or near Ponsonby Road | 13 |
Of the 435 crimes in Penn Hill with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 176 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 180 | 41.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 143 | 32.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 50 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 18 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Penn Hill has an estimated population of 11,963 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (3.9%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (10%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Penn Hill average decile 8.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Penn Hill | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 44.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 3.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Penn Hill a safe place to live?
Penn Hill recorded 51.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,983rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Penn Hill?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 191 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (176).
Is crime in Penn Hill going up or down?
Recorded crime in Penn Hill was down 2% on the year before: 611 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 621 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Penn Hill?
About 11,963 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Penn Hill?
Penn Hill 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.