Crime in West Pennine: statistics, rates and trends
339 crimes were recorded in West Pennine in the 12 months to August 2026, 45.0 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
- Crime in West Pennine at a glance
- Crime trends in West Pennine
- Types of crime in West Pennine
- West Pennine compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Pennine
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Pennine
- Demographics of West Pennine
- Questions about crime in West Pennine
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (114), anti-social behaviour (77) and burglary (36) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,243rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | West Pennine | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 339 | 17,854 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 45.0 | 109.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 7,534 | 162,540 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Pennine peaked in the year to August 2020 (452 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (292). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 339 | 45.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 398 | 52.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 369 | 49.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 292 | 38.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 343 | 45.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 441 | 58.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 452 | 60.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 332 | 44.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 438 | 58.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 21 |
| July 2026 | 28 |
| June 2026 | 33 |
| May 2026 | 42 |
| April 2026 | 30 |
| March 2026 | 24 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 32 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| November 2025 | 30 |
| October 2025 | 26 |
| September 2025 | 22 |
Compared with England and Wales, West Pennine recorded notably more burglary (35% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (56% below) and other theft (53% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 20 to 36, while anti-social behaviour fell from 126 to 77 and other theft fell from 31 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 114 | 15.1 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 77 | 10.2 | 15.4 | -39% |
| Burglary | 36 | 4.8 | 3.6 | +80% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 34 | 4.5 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Other theft | 23 | 3.1 | 6.4 | -26% |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 2.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 15 | 2.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 3 | 0.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than West Pennine.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Pennine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen South | 597 | 61.8 | +37% |
| Darwen East | 1,386 | 129.4 | +187% |
| Darwen West | 949 | 121.2 | +169% |
| Blackburn South & Lower Darwen | 708 | 74.1 | +65% |
| Blackburn South East | 1,157 | 145.2 | +223% |
| Ewood | 1,172 | 127.0 | +182% |
| Audley & Queen's Park | 1,632 | 143.8 | +220% |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate | 1,157 | 144.7 | +221% |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in West Pennine over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Bolton Road” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Bolton Road | 26 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 14 |
| On or near Parking Area | 13 |
| On or near Hollinshead Terrace | 12 |
| On or near Blackburn Road | 10 |
| On or near Haworth Street | 10 |
| On or near Knowsley Lane | 10 |
| On or near Hob Lane | 9 |
| On or near Knowlesly Meadows | 9 |
| On or near Belthorn Road | 8 |
Of the 262 crimes in West Pennine with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 77 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 93 | 35.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 92 | 35.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 23 | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 7.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 6.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
West Pennine has an estimated population of 7,534 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (1.9%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (6.7%, against 23.3%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Pennine average decile 6.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | West Pennine | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 6.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 86.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 1.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Pennine a safe place to live?
West Pennine recorded 45.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,243rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were burglary.
What is the most common crime in West Pennine?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 114 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (77).
Is crime in West Pennine going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Pennine was down 15% on the year before: 339 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 398 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Pennine?
About 7,534 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Pennine?
West Pennine 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.