Crime in South East Purbeck: statistics, rates and trends
120 crimes were recorded in South East Purbeck in the 12 months to August 2026, 36.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South East Purbeck at a glance
- Crime trends in South East Purbeck
- Types of crime in South East Purbeck
- South East Purbeck compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South East Purbeck
- What happened after crimes were reported in South East Purbeck
- Demographics of South East Purbeck
- Questions about crime in South East Purbeck
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (42), anti-social behaviour (23) and other theft (18) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,558th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | South East Purbeck | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 120 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 36.9 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 3,251 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in South East Purbeck of any year here (120 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 55%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 120 | 36.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 124 | 38.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 164 | 50.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 171 | 52.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 198 | 60.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 195 | 60.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 296 | 91.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 187 | 57.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 269 | 82.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 18 |
| July 2026 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 10 |
| May 2026 | 8 |
| April 2026 | 8 |
| March 2026 | 6 |
| February 2026 | 14 |
| January 2026 | 8 |
| December 2025 | 13 |
| November 2025 | 8 |
| October 2025 | 6 |
| September 2025 | 9 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (62% below) and anti-social behaviour (54% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences fell from 61 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 42 | 12.9 | 34.2 | -31% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 23 | 7.1 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Other theft | 18 | 5.5 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 14 | 4.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 2.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 7 | 2.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 6 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than South East Purbeck; the highest is Wimborne Minster, Dorset (81.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Colehill & Wimborne Minster East (25.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South East Purbeck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swanage | 477 | 50.7 | +37% |
| Wareham | 574 | 54.8 | +49% |
| Lytchett Matravers & Upton | 495 | 38.3 | +4% |
| Corfe Mullen | 393 | 36.8 | 0% |
| West Purbeck | 551 | 50.7 | +37% |
| Wimborne Minster | 906 | 81.2 | +120% |
| West Parley | 144 | 29.4 | -20% |
| Colehill & Wimborne Minster East | 180 | 25.2 | -32% |
The 10 locations below account for 61% of the crime recorded in South East Purbeck over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (19).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 19 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 11 |
| On or near Sandy Hill Lane | 11 |
| On or near School Lane | 6 |
| On or near Steppes | 6 |
| On or near West Street | 6 |
| On or near Haycrafts Lane | 4 |
| On or near The Square | 4 |
| On or near Agglestone Road | 3 |
| On or near Beach Road | 3 |
The latest recorded outcomes for the 97 crimes in South East Purbeck with one. The 23 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 43 | 44.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 32 | 33.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 9 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 3 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
South East Purbeck has an estimated population of 3,251 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (37%, against 19%), more retired residents (39%, against 22%) and fewer households without a car (10.0%, against 23.3%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South East Purbeck average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | South East Purbeck | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 36.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 39.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is South East Purbeck a safe place to live?
South East Purbeck recorded 36.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,558th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in South East Purbeck?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 42 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (23).
Is crime in South East Purbeck going up or down?
Recorded crime in South East Purbeck was down 3% on the year before: 120 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 124 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South East Purbeck?
About 3,251 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 37% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South East Purbeck?
South East Purbeck 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.