Crime in Ashley Heath: statistics, rates and trends
319 crimes were recorded in Ashley Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 39.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ashley Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Ashley Heath
- Types of crime in Ashley Heath
- Ashley Heath compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ashley Heath
- Streets with the most crime in Ashley Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ashley Heath
- Demographics of Ashley Heath
- Questions about crime in Ashley Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (115), anti-social behaviour (80), other theft (31) and vehicle crime (31) made up 81% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,296th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Ashley Heath | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 319 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 39.2 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 8,135 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ashley Heath peaked in the year to August 2021 (388 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (277). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 2%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 319 | 39.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 378 | 46.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 326 | 40.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 277 | 34.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 348 | 42.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 388 | 47.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 332 | 40.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 323 | 39.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 326 | 40.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 31 |
| July 2026 | 34 |
| June 2026 | 26 |
| May 2026 | 22 |
| April 2026 | 38 |
| March 2026 | 28 |
| February 2026 | 17 |
| January 2026 | 33 |
| December 2025 | 36 |
| November 2025 | 16 |
| October 2025 | 14 |
| September 2025 | 24 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (59% below) and other theft (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 51 to 80 and other theft rose from 21 to 31, while vehicle crime fell from 49 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 115 | 14.1 | 34.2 | -15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 80 | 9.8 | 15.4 | +57% |
| Other theft | 31 | 3.8 | 6.4 | +48% |
| Vehicle crime | 31 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 19 | 2.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 13 | 1.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 2 | 0.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ashley Heath; the highest is Bournemouth (108.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Merley (27.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ashley Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Moors | 448 | 42.8 | +9% |
| Ringwood | 920 | 71.3 | +82% |
| Ferndown | 545 | 39.6 | +1% |
| Verwood | 508 | 35.5 | -9% |
| Wimborne Minster | 972 | 60.8 | +55% |
| Bearwood | 302 | 59.5 | +52% |
| Bournemouth | 21,896 | 108.0 | +176% |
| Merley | 167 | 27.4 | -30% |
St Leonards & St Ives is the one area listed within Ashley Heath, with 39.2 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Leonards & St Ives | Neighbourhood | 8,135 | 319 | 39.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Ashley Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (22).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 22 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 19 |
| On or near New Forest Estate | 18 |
| On or near Garden-Lane | 13 |
| On or near Brockwood | 11 |
| On or near Pegasus Close | 11 |
| On or near South Drive | 11 |
| On or near St Ives Wood | 9 |
| On or near Avon Avenue | 7 |
| On or near Folly Farm Lane | 7 |
Of the 239 crimes in Ashley Heath with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 80 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 100 | 41.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 93 | 38.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 17 | 7.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 7 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Ashley Heath has an estimated population of 8,135 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (40%, against 19%), more retired residents (44%, against 22%) and less social housing (3.6%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ashley Heath average decile 8.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ashley Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 39.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 44.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 44.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 89.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 3.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 7.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ashley Heath a safe place to live?
Ashley Heath recorded 39.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,296th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ashley Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 115 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (80).
Is crime in Ashley Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ashley Heath was down 16% on the year before: 319 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 378 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ashley Heath?
About 8,135 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 40% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ashley Heath?
Ashley Heath 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.