Crime in West Purbeck: statistics, rates and trends
551 crimes were recorded in West Purbeck in the 12 months to August 2026, 50.7 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 West Purbeck at a glance
- Crime trends in West Purbeck
- Types of crime in West Purbeck
- West Purbeck compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Purbeck
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Purbeck
- Demographics of West Purbeck
- Questions about crime in West Purbeck
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (211), anti-social behaviour (148) and other theft (62) made up 76% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,000th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | West Purbeck | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 551 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 50.7 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 10,863 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in West Purbeck of any year here (551 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 33%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 551 | 50.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 569 | 52.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 603 | 55.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 598 | 55.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 634 | 58.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 820 | 75.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 765 | 70.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 656 | 60.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 820 | 75.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 68 |
| July 2026 | 59 |
| June 2026 | 39 |
| May 2026 | 39 |
| April 2026 | 48 |
| March 2026 | 48 |
| February 2026 | 32 |
| January 2026 | 37 |
| December 2025 | 38 |
| November 2025 | 37 |
| October 2025 | 65 |
| September 2025 | 41 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and criminal damage and arson (56% below) and vehicle crime (56% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 51 to 62 and vehicle crime rose from 20 to 24, while public order fell from 49 to 33 and criminal damage and arson fell from 40 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 211 | 19.4 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 148 | 13.6 | 15.4 | -11% |
| Other theft | 62 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +22% |
| Public order | 33 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 32 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 2.2 | 5.0 | +20% |
| Burglary | 19 | 1.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than West Purbeck; the highest is Dorchester West (101.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Winterborne & Broadmayne (23.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Purbeck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossways | 158 | 38.2 | -25% |
| Wareham | 574 | 54.8 | +8% |
| Puddletown & Lower Winterborne | 172 | 25.9 | -49% |
| Dorchester East | 466 | 50.4 | -1% |
| Winterborne & Broadmayne | 97 | 23.1 | -55% |
| Lytchett Matravers & Upton | 495 | 38.3 | -24% |
| Dorchester West | 735 | 101.7 | +101% |
| Littlemoor & Preston | 636 | 56.9 | +12% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in West Purbeck over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Giddy Green Lane” (91).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Giddy Green Lane | 91 |
| On or near Pigeon Close | 29 |
| On or near Parking Area | 24 |
| On or near Back Lane | 22 |
| On or near High Street | 15 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 15 |
| On or near Main Road | 13 |
| On or near North Street | 13 |
| On or near New Road | 11 |
| On or near Knowle Hill | 9 |
Of the 403 crimes in West Purbeck with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 148 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 142 | 35.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 141 | 35.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 45 | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 16 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.5% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
West Purbeck has an estimated population of 10,863 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (8.8%, against 23.3%), fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (26%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Purbeck average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | West Purbeck | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Purbeck a safe place to live?
West Purbeck recorded 50.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,000th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in West Purbeck?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 211 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (148).
Is crime in West Purbeck going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Purbeck was down 3% on the year before: 551 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 569 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Purbeck?
About 10,863 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Purbeck?
West 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.