Crime in Wensley Fold: statistics, rates and trends
947 crimes were recorded in Wensley Fold in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wensley Fold at a glance
- Crime trends in Wensley Fold
- Types of crime in Wensley Fold
- Wensley Fold compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Wensley Fold
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wensley Fold
- Demographics of Wensley Fold
- Questions about crime in Wensley Fold
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (406), anti-social behaviour (212) and criminal damage and arson (65) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,316th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Wensley Fold | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 947 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.8 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,781 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wensley Fold peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,430 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (894). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 947 | 96.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,061 | 108.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 979 | 100.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 894 | 91.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,154 | 118.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,378 | 140.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,351 | 138.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,430 | 146.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,301 | 133.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 77 |
| July 2026 | 107 |
| June 2026 | 85 |
| May 2026 | 77 |
| April 2026 | 72 |
| March 2026 | 80 |
| February 2026 | 70 |
| January 2026 | 60 |
| December 2025 | 78 |
| November 2025 | 66 |
| October 2025 | 92 |
| September 2025 | 83 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wensley Fold recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (41% above the national rate) and other crime (35% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (37% below) and vehicle crime (24% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 50 to 65, while vehicle crime fell from 56 to 37 and anti-social behaviour fell from 312 to 212.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 406 | 41.5 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 212 | 21.7 | 15.4 | -32% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 6.6 | 6.7 | +30% |
| Other theft | 56 | 5.7 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 53 | 5.4 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 37 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -34% |
| Drugs | 30 | 3.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 28 | 2.9 | 2.1 | -18% |
| Burglary | 22 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -15% |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 1.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wensley Fold; the highest is Blackburn Central (259.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Billinge & Beardwood (40.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wensley Fold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shear Brow & Corporation Park | 1,224 | 131.5 | +36% |
| Billinge & Beardwood | 393 | 40.0 | -59% |
| Blackburn Central | 3,329 | 259.6 | +168% |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate | 1,157 | 144.7 | +49% |
| Ewood | 1,172 | 127.0 | +31% |
| Bastwell & Daisyfield | 584 | 61.2 | -37% |
| Roe Lee | 737 | 74.1 | -23% |
| Audley & Queen's Park | 1,632 | 143.8 | +49% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Wensley Fold over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Adelaide Terrace” (64).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Adelaide Terrace | 64 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 62 |
| On or near Cheltenham Road | 44 |
| On or near Granville Road | 38 |
| On or near Hope Street | 38 |
| On or near Heyhurst Road | 36 |
| On or near Rolleston Road | 30 |
| On or near Alma Street | 24 |
| On or near Lancaster Place | 24 |
| On or near Foxhouse Street | 23 |
Of the 735 crimes in Wensley Fold with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 212 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 322 | 43.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 188 | 25.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 80 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 60 | 8.2% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 25 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 24 | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Wensley Fold has an estimated population of 9,781 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (31%, against 18%), a younger population (10%, against 19%) and more private renting (29%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wensley Fold average decile 1.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Wensley Fold | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 25.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 61.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Wensley Fold a safe place to live?
Wensley Fold recorded 96.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,316th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Wensley Fold?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 406 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (212).
Is crime in Wensley Fold going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wensley Fold was down 11% on the year before: 947 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,061 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wensley Fold?
About 9,781 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 10% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wensley Fold?
Wensley Fold 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.