Crime in Blandford Forum: statistics, rates and trends
762 crimes were recorded in Blandford Forum in the 12 months to July 2026, 55.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Blandford Forum at a glance
- Crime trends in Blandford Forum
- Types of crime in Blandford Forum
- Blandford Forum compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Blandford Forum
- Streets with the most crime in Blandford Forum
- What happened after crimes were reported in Blandford Forum
- Population and deprivation in Blandford Forum
- Questions about crime in Blandford Forum
- About this data
762 crimes were recorded in Blandford Forum in the 12 months to July 2026, 55.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 13% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 274 reports (36% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Blandford Forum has the 1,058th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Blandford Forum | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 762 | 20,740 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 55.2 | 53.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -13% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 13,804 | 389,947 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Blandford Forum was highest in the year to July 2021 (1,013 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (762). Over the whole period it fell 19%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 762 | 55.2 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 876 | 63.5 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 935 | 67.7 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 941 | 68.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 938 | 68.0 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,013 | 73.4 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 935 | 67.7 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 914 | 66.2 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 946 | 68.5 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 97 |
| June 2026 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 66 |
| April 2026 | 73 |
| March 2026 | 65 |
| February 2026 | 57 |
| January 2026 | 67 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 67 |
| October 2025 | 47 |
| September 2025 | 51 |
| August 2025 | 60 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Blandford Forum over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest falls were in burglary (-64%) and public order (-32%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 274 | 19.8 | 0.58 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 189 | 13.7 | 0.89 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 4.7 | 0.69 | -23% |
| Shoplifting | 59 | 4.3 | 0.52 | -11% |
| Other theft | 47 | 3.4 | 0.53 | -23% |
| Public order | 40 | 2.9 | 0.44 | -32% |
| Vehicle crime | 30 | 2.2 | 0.44 | -32% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.8 | 0.55 | +108% |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.1 | 0.31 | -64% |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.5 | 0.24 | -36% |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 0.27 | +400% |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.2 | 0.22 | -67% |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.18 | -50% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 0.04 | -50% |
Violence and sexual offences in Blandford Forum
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Blandford Forum recorded 274 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (19.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 36.0% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Blandford Forum
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Blandford Forum recorded 189 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (13.7 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 6% on the year before. It made up 24.8% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Blandford Forum
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Blandford Forum recorded 65 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 8.5% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Blandford Forum
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Blandford Forum recorded 59 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 7.7% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Blandford Forum
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Blandford Forum recorded 47 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 6.2% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Blandford Forum
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Blandford Forum recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 32% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Blandford Forum
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Blandford Forum recorded 30 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 32% on the year before. It made up 3.9% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Blandford Forum
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Blandford Forum recorded 25 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 108% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Blandford Forum
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Blandford Forum recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 64% on the year before. It made up 2.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Blandford Forum
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Blandford Forum recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 36% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Blandford Forum
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Blandford Forum recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 400% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Blandford Forum
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Blandford Forum recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 67% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Blandford Forum
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Blandford Forum recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Blandford Forum
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Blandford Forum recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Blandford Forum, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Blandford Forum.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Blandford Forum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corfe Mullen | 372 | 34.8 | -37% |
| Wimborne Minster | 960 | 60.1 | +9% |
| Merley | 155 | 25.4 | -54% |
| Upton (Dorset) | 364 | 41.5 | -25% |
| Shaftesbury | 676 | 72.0 | +30% |
| Bearwood | 281 | 55.4 | +0% |
| Wareham | 362 | 61.0 | +10% |
| Wool | 284 | 47.7 | -14% |
2 areas within Blandford Forum, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Winterborne North had the highest rate (53.5 per 1,000) and Blandford the lowest (53.2). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winterborne North | Neighbourhood | 5,103 | 273 | 53.5 |
| Blandford | Neighbourhood | 10,569 | 562 | 53.2 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Blandford Forum over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 106 |
| On or near Supermarket | 67 |
| On or near Red Lion Yard | 21 |
| On or near Hornbeam Way | 17 |
| On or near Southover Close | 17 |
| On or near Beckett Close | 16 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 15 |
| On or near Castleman Smith Close | 14 |
| On or near Police Station | 12 |
| On or near Eagle House Gardens | 11 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Blandford Forum over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 206 | 27.0% |
| Not recorded | 189 | 24.8% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 186 | 24.4% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 9.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 3.1% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 2.9% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 2.9% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 2.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.4% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 0.7% |
Blandford Forum has an estimated population of 13,804. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Blandford Forum sits in decile 6.2, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Blandford Forum |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 57.6% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.6% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.6% |
| Social rented homes | 19.5% |
| Private rented homes | 16.7% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 |
Is Blandford Forum a safe place to live?
Blandford Forum recorded 55.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Blandford Forum?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 274 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (189).
Is crime in Blandford Forum going up or down?
Recorded crime in Blandford Forum was down 13% on the year before: 762 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 876 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Blandford Forum?
Blandford Forum is policed by Dorset. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Blandford Forum. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.