Crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne: statistics, rates and trends
169 crimes were recorded in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne in the 12 months to July 2026, 25.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne at a glance
- Crime trends in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- Types of crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- Puddletown & Lower Winterborne compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- What happened after crimes were reported in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- Population and deprivation in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- Questions about crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
- About this data
169 crimes were recorded in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne in the 12 months to July 2026, 25.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 12% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 68 reports (40% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Puddletown & Lower Winterborne has the 3,855th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Puddletown & Lower Winterborne | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 169 | 20,740 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 25.5 | 53.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 6,637 | 389,947 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne was highest in the year to July 2021 (245 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2024 (162). Over the whole period it fell 7%, 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 | 169 | 25.5 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 193 | 29.1 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 162 | 24.4 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 214 | 32.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 208 | 31.3 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 245 | 36.9 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 213 | 32.1 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 237 | 35.7 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 181 | 27.3 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 14 |
| June 2026 | 14 |
| May 2026 | 14 |
| April 2026 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 22 |
| February 2026 | 13 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 12 |
| November 2025 | 7 |
| October 2025 | 19 |
| September 2025 | 11 |
| August 2025 | 15 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne 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. The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+43%).
The largest falls were in criminal damage and arson (-38%) and other theft (-18%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 68 | 10.2 | 0.30 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 40 | 6.0 | 0.39 | +43% |
| Other theft | 18 | 2.7 | 0.42 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 15 | 2.3 | 0.33 | -38% |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.1 | 0.30 | -59% |
| Public order | 6 | 0.9 | 0.14 | -14% |
| Vehicle crime | 6 | 0.9 | 0.18 | -54% |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.5 | 0.14 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.3 | 0.14 | +0% |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 0.31 | +0% |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 0.11 | +0% |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 0.02 | -50% |
Violence and sexual offences in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 68 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 9% on the year before. It made up 40.2% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 43% on the year before. It made up 23.7% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 18 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 18% on the year before. It made up 10.7% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 38% on the year before. It made up 8.9% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 59% on the year before. It made up 4.1% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 14% on the year before. It made up 3.6% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 54% on the year before. It made up 3.6% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 1.8% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Puddletown & Lower Winterborne, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Puddletown & Lower Winterborne.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Puddletown & Lower Winterborne |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Purbeck | 527 | 48.5 | +91% |
| Crossways | 154 | 37.3 | +46% |
| Winterborne North | 273 | 53.5 | +110% |
| Dorchester East | 490 | 53.0 | +108% |
| Blackmore Vale | 122 | 30.7 | +21% |
| Dorchester West | 717 | 99.2 | +290% |
| Blandford | 562 | 53.2 | +109% |
| Charminster St Mary's | 171 | 21.7 | -15% |
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 Puddletown & Lower Winterborne over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Damer Close | 15 |
| On or near Parking Area | 10 |
| On or near Greenacres | 7 |
| On or near Greenways | 6 |
| On or near White Hill | 6 |
| On or near Bladen View | 5 |
| On or near The Square | 5 |
| On or near Field'S Close | 4 |
| On or near Homefield | 4 |
| On or near Ridge Way | 4 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 54 | 32.0% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 43 | 25.4% |
| Not recorded | 40 | 23.7% |
| Under investigation | 12 | 7.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 3.0% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 1.8% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.6% |
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne has an estimated population of 6,637. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne sits in decile 6.0, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Puddletown & Lower Winterborne |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.4% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 55.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.9% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.9% |
| Social rented homes | 11.7% |
| Private rented homes | 16.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 |
Is Puddletown & Lower Winterborne a safe place to live?
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne recorded 25.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower 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 Puddletown & Lower Winterborne?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 68 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (40).
Is crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne going up or down?
Recorded crime in Puddletown & Lower Winterborne was down 12% on the year before: 169 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 193 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Puddletown & Lower Winterborne?
Puddletown & Lower Winterborne 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 Puddletown & Lower Winterborne. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.