Crime in Banks: statistics, rates and trends
218 crimes were recorded in Banks in the 12 months to August 2026, 42.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 20% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (94), anti-social behaviour (53) and criminal damage and arson (21) made up 77% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,257th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Banks | West Lancashire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 218 | 7,540 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 42.6 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -20% | -13% | -1% |
| Population | 5,122 | 121,995 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Banks peaked in the year to August 2020 (321 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (201). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 218 | 42.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 274 | 53.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 226 | 44.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 201 | 39.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 220 | 43.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 288 | 56.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 321 | 62.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 266 | 51.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 256 | 50.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 16 |
| July 2026 | 15 |
| June 2026 | 24 |
| May 2026 | 19 |
| April 2026 | 28 |
| March 2026 | 19 |
| February 2026 | 16 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 9 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 11 |
| September 2025 | 18 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (46% below) and criminal damage and arson (39% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 100 to 53.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 94 | 18.4 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 53 | 10.3 | 15.4 | -47% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 21 | 4.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Public order | 12 | 2.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 11 | 2.1 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 5 | 1.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Burglary | 3 | 0.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 2 | 0.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Banks; the highest is Kirkham (83.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Longton (31.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Banks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarleton and Hesketh Bank | 330 | 35.1 | -18% |
| Southport | 7,588 | 80.0 | +88% |
| Warton (Fylde) | 344 | 59.4 | +39% |
| Lytham St Anne's | 3,302 | 75.4 | +77% |
| Longton | 365 | 31.9 | -25% |
| Burscough | 744 | 72.5 | +70% |
| Kirkham | 683 | 83.0 | +95% |
| Ormskirk | 1,518 | 49.8 | +17% |
North Meols & Hesketh Bank is the one area listed within Banks, with 35.1 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Meols & Hesketh Bank | Neighbourhood | 7,891 | 277 | 35.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Banks over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sugar Stubbs Lane” (12).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sugar Stubbs Lane | 12 |
| On or near Bond'S Lane | 11 |
| On or near Schwartzman Drive | 11 |
| On or near Leyland Close | 9 |
| On or near Old School Close | 9 |
| On or near Grange Close | 8 |
| On or near Wigeon Place | 8 |
| On or near Chapel Close | 7 |
| On or near Fareham Drive | 7 |
| On or near New Lane Pace | 7 |
Of the 165 crimes in Banks with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 53 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 74 | 44.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 36 | 21.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 5.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 1.8% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
Banks has an estimated population of 5,122 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (10%, against 23%), fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%) and an older population (27%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Banks average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Banks | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Banks a safe place to live?
Banks recorded 42.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,257th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Banks?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 94 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (53).
Is crime in Banks going up or down?
Recorded crime in Banks was down 20% on the year before: 218 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 274 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Banks?
About 5,122 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Banks?
Banks 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.