Crime in Bacup: statistics, rates and trends
1,705 crimes were recorded in Bacup in the 12 months to August 2026, 114.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (704), anti-social behaviour (325) and criminal damage and arson (165) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 220th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bacup | Rossendale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,705 | 6,369 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 114.5 | 87.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 14,885 | 73,045 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Bacup of any year here (1,705 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,705 | 114.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,924 | 129.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,045 | 137.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,706 | 114.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,803 | 121.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,984 | 133.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,938 | 130.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,841 | 123.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,910 | 128.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 126 |
| July 2026 | 159 |
| June 2026 | 149 |
| May 2026 | 140 |
| April 2026 | 181 |
| March 2026 | 144 |
| February 2026 | 102 |
| January 2026 | 155 |
| December 2025 | 135 |
| November 2025 | 115 |
| October 2025 | 141 |
| September 2025 | 158 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bacup recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (64% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (42% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (38% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (36% below) and vehicle crime (32% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 76 to 100 and drugs rose from 26 to 31, while anti-social behaviour fell from 621 to 325 and vehicle crime fell from 74 to 50.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 704 | 47.3 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 325 | 21.8 | 15.4 | -48% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 165 | 11.1 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Other theft | 104 | 7.0 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 100 | 6.7 | 8.5 | +32% |
| Public order | 86 | 5.8 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Burglary | 62 | 4.2 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 50 | 3.4 | 5.0 | -32% |
| Other crime | 42 | 2.8 | 2.1 | -5% |
| Drugs | 31 | 2.1 | 3.3 | +19% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bacup; the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Haslingden (73.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bacup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rawtenstall | 1,613 | 77.8 | -32% |
| Whitworth | 624 | 98.7 | -14% |
| Todmorden | 1,352 | 99.0 | -14% |
| Haslingden | 1,234 | 73.7 | -36% |
| Burnley | 12,274 | 146.3 | +28% |
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +31% |
| Padiham | 1,527 | 137.7 | +20% |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1,109 | 121.6 | +6% |
Of the 2 areas within Bacup, Bacup had the highest crime rate (122.3 per 1,000) and Britannia & Lee Mill the lowest (100.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacup | Neighbourhood | 7,050 | 862 | 122.3 |
| Britannia & Lee Mill | Neighbourhood | 7,171 | 718 | 100.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Bacup over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hammerton Green” (63).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hammerton Green | 63 |
| On or near Supermarket | 57 |
| On or near Mill Stream Close | 56 |
| On or near Ashworth Street | 41 |
| On or near Britannia Avenue | 37 |
| On or near Crabtree Avenue | 30 |
| On or near Kershaw Street | 29 |
| On or near Union Street | 28 |
| On or near Yorkshire Street | 27 |
| On or near A681 | 26 |
Of the 1,380 crimes in Bacup with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 325 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 628 | 45.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 340 | 24.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 121 | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 89 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 70 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 56 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 26 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 19 | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 4 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Bacup has an estimated population of 14,885 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%) and more residents with no qualifications (22%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bacup average decile 2.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bacup | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 31.5% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bacup a safe place to live?
Bacup recorded 114.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 220th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Bacup?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 704 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (325).
Is crime in Bacup going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bacup was down 11% on the year before: 1,705 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,924 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bacup?
About 14,885 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bacup?
Bacup 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.