Crime in Blandford Forum: statistics, rates and trends
800 crimes were recorded in Blandford Forum in the 12 months to August 2026, 58.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Blandford Forum
- Questions about crime in Blandford Forum
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (298), anti-social behaviour (206) and criminal damage and arson (65) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 996th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Blandford Forum | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 800 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.0 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 13,804 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Blandford Forum of any year here (800 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 800 | 58.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 861 | 62.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 915 | 66.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 947 | 68.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 957 | 69.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 993 | 71.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 954 | 69.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 886 | 64.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 955 | 69.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 98 |
| 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 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (69% below) and public order (60% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 164 to 206, while vehicle crime fell from 50 to 21 and public order fell from 56 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 298 | 21.6 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 206 | 14.9 | 15.4 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 63 | 4.6 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Other theft | 47 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -13% |
| Public order | 37 | 2.7 | 6.7 | -34% |
| Drugs | 25 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 21 | 1.5 | 5.0 | -58% |
| Burglary | 18 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Blandford Forum; the highest is Shaftesbury (72.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Merley (27.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Blandford Forum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corfe Mullen | 393 | 36.8 | -37% |
| Wimborne Minster | 972 | 60.8 | +5% |
| Merley | 167 | 27.4 | -53% |
| Upton (Dorset) | 366 | 41.8 | -28% |
| Shaftesbury | 682 | 72.6 | +25% |
| Bearwood | 302 | 59.5 | +3% |
| Wareham | 354 | 59.6 | +3% |
| Wool | 302 | 50.7 | -13% |
Of the 2 areas within Blandford Forum, Winterborne North had the highest crime rate (57.8 per 1,000) and Blandford the lowest (55.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winterborne North | Neighbourhood | 5,103 | 295 | 57.8 |
| Blandford | Neighbourhood | 10,569 | 590 | 55.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Blandford Forum over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (110).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 110 |
| On or near Supermarket | 70 |
| On or near Red Lion Yard | 22 |
| On or near Southover Close | 20 |
| On or near Beckett Close | 17 |
| On or near Hornbeam Way | 17 |
| On or near Castleman Smith Close | 16 |
| On or near Police Station | 14 |
| On or near Jubilee Way | 13 |
| On or near Market Place | 13 |
Of the 594 crimes in Blandford Forum with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 206 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 215 | 36.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 180 | 30.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 80 | 13.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 27 | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 17 | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 12 | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Blandford Forum has an estimated population of 13,804 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%), an older population (24%, against 19%) and more retired residents (26%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Blandford Forum average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Blandford Forum | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Blandford Forum a safe place to live?
Blandford Forum recorded 58.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 996th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Blandford Forum?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 298 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (206).
Is crime in Blandford Forum going up or down?
Recorded crime in Blandford Forum was down 7% on the year before: 800 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 861 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Blandford Forum?
About 13,804 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Blandford Forum?
Blandford Forum 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.