Crime in Roe Lee: statistics, rates and trends
737 crimes were recorded in Roe Lee in the 12 months to August 2026, 74.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (277), anti-social behaviour (119) and vehicle crime (118) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,057th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Roe Lee | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 737 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 74.1 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,941 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Roe Lee peaked in the year to August 2025 (870 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (688). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 737 | 74.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 870 | 87.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 731 | 73.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 744 | 74.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 688 | 69.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 769 | 77.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 823 | 82.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 741 | 74.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 858 | 86.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 104 |
| July 2026 | 93 |
| June 2026 | 68 |
| May 2026 | 66 |
| April 2026 | 57 |
| March 2026 | 64 |
| February 2026 | 33 |
| January 2026 | 48 |
| December 2025 | 57 |
| November 2025 | 44 |
| October 2025 | 58 |
| September 2025 | 45 |
Compared with England and Wales, Roe Lee recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.4 times the national rate), and notably less public order (68% below) and shoplifting (54% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 206 to 277, while vehicle crime fell from 215 to 118 and anti-social behaviour fell from 185 to 119.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 277 | 27.9 | 34.2 | +34% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 119 | 12.0 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Vehicle crime | 118 | 11.9 | 5.0 | -45% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 50 | 5.0 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Shoplifting | 39 | 3.9 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Other theft | 37 | 3.7 | 6.4 | -8% |
| Burglary | 36 | 3.6 | 3.6 | -14% |
| Public order | 21 | 2.1 | 6.7 | -34% |
| Drugs | 19 | 1.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Roe Lee; the highest is Blackburn Central (259.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Billinge & Beardwood (40.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Roe Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bastwell & Daisyfield | 584 | 61.2 | -17% |
| Shear Brow & Corporation Park | 1,224 | 131.5 | +77% |
| Little Harwood & Whitebirk | 1,013 | 100.4 | +35% |
| Billinge & Beardwood | 393 | 40.0 | -46% |
| Wensley Fold | 947 | 96.8 | +31% |
| Blackburn Central | 3,329 | 259.6 | +250% |
| Audley & Queen's Park | 1,632 | 143.8 | +94% |
| Blackburn South East | 1,157 | 145.2 | +96% |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Roe Lee over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (51).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 51 |
| On or near Pearl Close | 38 |
| On or near Douglas Place | 27 |
| On or near Amethyst Street | 24 |
| On or near Clarendon Road East | 24 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 24 |
| On or near B6232 | 23 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 22 |
| On or near Peridot Close | 21 |
| On or near Wilworth Crescent | 20 |
Of the 618 crimes in Roe Lee with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 119 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 226 | 36.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 204 | 33.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 67 | 10.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 48 | 7.8% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 26 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 25 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Roe Lee has an estimated population of 9,941 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more children (25%, against 18%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and less private renting (15%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Roe Lee average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Roe Lee | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 23.9% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Roe Lee a safe place to live?
Roe Lee recorded 74.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,057th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Roe Lee?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 277 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (119).
Is crime in Roe Lee going up or down?
Recorded crime in Roe Lee was down 15% on the year before: 737 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 870 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Roe Lee?
About 9,941 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Roe Lee?
Roe Lee is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.