Crime in Penzance East: statistics, rates and trends
1,408 crimes were recorded in Penzance East in the 12 months to August 2026, 176.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Penzance East at a glance
- Crime trends in Penzance East
- Types of crime in Penzance East
- Penzance East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Penzance East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Penzance East
- Demographics of Penzance East
- Questions about crime in Penzance East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (547), anti-social behaviour (259) and shoplifting (150) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 276th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Penzance East | Cornwall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,408 | 41,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 176.2 | 71.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 7,989 | 583,289 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Penzance East peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,978 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,301). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,408 | 176.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,509 | 188.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,301 | 162.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,334 | 167.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,484 | 185.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,431 | 179.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,511 | 189.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,978 | 247.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 118 |
| July 2026 | 123 |
| June 2026 | 133 |
| May 2026 | 124 |
| April 2026 | 117 |
| March 2026 | 107 |
| February 2026 | 104 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 86 |
| November 2025 | 124 |
| October 2025 | 133 |
| September 2025 | 156 |
Compared with England and Wales, Penzance East recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.3 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.2 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (35% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 60 to 77 and drugs rose from 33 to 40, while anti-social behaviour fell from 361 to 259 and criminal damage and arson fell from 150 to 122.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 547 | 68.5 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 259 | 32.4 | 15.4 | -28% |
| Shoplifting | 150 | 18.8 | 8.5 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 122 | 15.3 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Public order | 102 | 12.8 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Other theft | 77 | 9.6 | 6.4 | +28% |
| Drugs | 40 | 5.0 | 3.3 | +21% |
| Burglary | 28 | 3.5 | 3.6 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Other crime | 20 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Robbery | 19 | 2.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Penzance East has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Penzance East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penzance Promenade | 445 | 89.9 | -49% |
| Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval & Heamoor | 433 | 61.6 | -65% |
| Mousehole, Newlyn & St Buryan | 238 | 54.6 | -69% |
| Long Rock, Marazion & St Erth | 287 | 45.1 | -74% |
| St Ives East, Lelant & Carbis Bay | 299 | 39.5 | -78% |
| Land's End | 388 | 44.9 | -75% |
| St Ives West & Towednack | 545 | 104.6 | -41% |
| Hayle West | 576 | 80.9 | -54% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Penzance East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (183).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 183 |
| On or near Parking Area | 64 |
| On or near Old Brewery Yard | 54 |
| On or near The Greenmarket | 52 |
| On or near Union Street | 50 |
| On or near Bread Street | 47 |
| On or near Albert Street | 46 |
| On or near Jelbert Way | 35 |
| On or near Branwell Lane | 33 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 32 |
Of the 1,149 crimes in Penzance East with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 259 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 542 | 47.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 262 | 22.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 157 | 13.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 61 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 40 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 27 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Penzance East has an estimated population of 7,989 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (28%, against 17%), more households without a car (38%, against 23%) and more private renting (27%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Penzance East average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Penzance East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 37.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 44.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 27.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 44.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Penzance East a safe place to live?
Penzance East recorded 176.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 276th 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 shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Penzance East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 547 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (259).
Is crime in Penzance East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Penzance East was down 7% on the year before: 1,408 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,509 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Penzance East?
About 7,989 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Penzance East?
Penzance East is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.