Crime in St Matthew's, Preston: statistics, rates and trends
2,116 crimes were recorded in St Matthew's, Preston in the 12 months to August 2026, 171.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Matthew's, Preston at a glance
- Crime trends in St Matthew's, Preston
- Types of crime in St Matthew's, Preston
- St Matthew's, Preston compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Matthew's, Preston
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Matthew's, Preston
- Demographics of St Matthew's, Preston
- Questions about crime in St Matthew's, Preston
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (732), anti-social behaviour (467) and criminal damage and arson (182) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 299th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | St Matthew's, Preston | Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,116 | 20,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 171.6 | 127.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 12,333 | 162,864 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in St Matthew's, Preston of any year here (2,116 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 | 2,116 | 171.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,157 | 174.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,248 | 182.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,487 | 201.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,871 | 232.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,229 | 261.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,894 | 234.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,936 | 238.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,094 | 250.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 184 |
| July 2026 | 187 |
| June 2026 | 167 |
| May 2026 | 191 |
| April 2026 | 166 |
| March 2026 | 180 |
| February 2026 | 140 |
| January 2026 | 186 |
| December 2025 | 165 |
| November 2025 | 177 |
| October 2025 | 159 |
| September 2025 | 214 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Matthew's, Preston recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.8 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.5 times the national rate) and drugs (2.3 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (30% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 67 to 93 and criminal damage and arson rose from 142 to 182, while anti-social behaviour fell from 612 to 467.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 732 | 59.4 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 467 | 37.9 | 15.4 | -24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 182 | 14.8 | 6.7 | +28% |
| Other theft | 124 | 10.1 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Public order | 112 | 9.1 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 112 | 9.1 | 5.0 | -12% |
| Drugs | 93 | 7.5 | 3.3 | +39% |
| Shoplifting | 73 | 5.9 | 8.5 | -13% |
| Burglary | 69 | 5.6 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Other crime | 53 | 4.3 | 2.1 | +23% |
| Possession of weapons | 34 | 2.8 | 1.0 | +3% |
| Robbery | 28 | 2.3 | 1.4 | -3% |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 1.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 1.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than St Matthew's, Preston; the highest is City Centre (409.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Garrison (63.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Matthew's, Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishwick & Frenchwood | 1,152 | 116.4 | -32% |
| Deepdale | 1,341 | 128.4 | -25% |
| Brookfield | 1,255 | 128.1 | -25% |
| City Centre | 5,296 | 409.4 | +139% |
| Ribbleton | 1,125 | 131.1 | -24% |
| Garrison | 625 | 63.5 | -63% |
| Plungington | 1,711 | 141.2 | -18% |
| Sharoe Green | 819 | 98.6 | -43% |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in St Matthew's, Preston over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (89).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 89 |
| On or near Maitland Close | 77 |
| On or near Shakespeare Road | 66 |
| On or near Edmund Street | 60 |
| On or near Osbourne Way | 49 |
| On or near Burns Street | 42 |
| On or near Parking Area | 39 |
| On or near Strutt Street | 37 |
| On or near Thorn Street | 37 |
| On or near Alice Square | 35 |
Of the 1,649 crimes in St Matthew's, Preston with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 467 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 611 | 37.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 455 | 27.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 182 | 11.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 102 | 6.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 89 | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 72 | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 72 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 42 | 2.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 7 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
St Matthew's, Preston has an estimated population of 12,333 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (47%, against 23%), more social housing (34%, against 17%) and more residents with no qualifications (30%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Matthew's, Preston average decile 1.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Matthew's, Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 9.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 47.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 34.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 33.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 32.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 100.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is St Matthew's, Preston a safe place to live?
St Matthew's, Preston recorded 171.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 299th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in St Matthew's, Preston?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 732 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (467).
Is crime in St Matthew's, Preston going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Matthew's, Preston was down 2% on the year before: 2,116 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,157 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Matthew's, Preston?
About 12,333 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.7% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Matthew's, Preston?
St Matthew's, Preston 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.