Crime in West Southbourne: statistics, rates and trends
467 crimes were recorded in West Southbourne in the 12 months to August 2026, 50.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 19% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Southbourne at a glance
- Crime trends in West Southbourne
- Types of crime in West Southbourne
- West Southbourne compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Southbourne
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Southbourne
- Demographics of West Southbourne
- Questions about crime in West Southbourne
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (136), anti-social behaviour (119) and criminal damage and arson (52) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,013th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | West Southbourne | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 467 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 50.4 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -19% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 9,273 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in West Southbourne of any year here (467 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 54%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 467 | 50.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 574 | 61.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 536 | 57.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 621 | 67.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 672 | 72.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 730 | 78.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 856 | 92.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 838 | 90.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,007 | 108.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 49 |
| July 2026 | 70 |
| June 2026 | 38 |
| May 2026 | 28 |
| April 2026 | 43 |
| March 2026 | 38 |
| February 2026 | 32 |
| January 2026 | 37 |
| December 2025 | 39 |
| November 2025 | 30 |
| October 2025 | 37 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (63% below) and violence and sexual offences (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 43 to 52 and burglary rose from 25 to 30, while public order fell from 38 to 23 and violence and sexual offences fell from 177 to 136.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 136 | 14.7 | 34.2 | -23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 119 | 12.8 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 52 | 5.6 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Vehicle crime | 42 | 4.5 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Other theft | 31 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Burglary | 30 | 3.2 | 3.6 | +20% |
| Public order | 23 | 2.5 | 6.7 | -39% |
| Shoplifting | 11 | 1.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than West Southbourne.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Southbourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boscombe East & Pokesdown | 908 | 78.5 | +56% |
| East Southbourne & Tuckton | 502 | 51.8 | +3% |
| Littledown & Iford | 696 | 69.7 | +38% |
| Boscombe West | 1,673 | 153.1 | +204% |
| Christchurch Town | 868 | 85.4 | +70% |
| Commons | 628 | 60.3 | +20% |
| East Cliff & Springbourne | 1,770 | 103.9 | +106% |
| Queen's Park | 733 | 61.5 | +22% |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in West Southbourne over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Southern Road” (32).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Southern Road | 32 |
| On or near Stourvale Road | 28 |
| On or near Seaward Avenue | 21 |
| On or near Supermarket | 19 |
| On or near Pinecliffe Avenue | 18 |
| On or near Kingfisher Close | 16 |
| On or near B3059 | 15 |
| On or near Carbery Lane | 15 |
| On or near New Park Road | 14 |
| On or near Broom Lane | 13 |
Of the 348 crimes in West Southbourne with a recorded outcome, 48% 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 119 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 166 | 47.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 98 | 28.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 37 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
West Southbourne has an estimated population of 9,273 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (28%, against 20%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (13%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Southbourne average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | West Southbourne | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Southbourne a safe place to live?
West Southbourne recorded 50.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,013th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in West Southbourne?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 136 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (119).
Is crime in West Southbourne going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Southbourne was down 19% on the year before: 467 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 574 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Southbourne?
About 9,273 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Southbourne?
West Southbourne 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.