Crime in Bourne: statistics, rates and trends
1,235 crimes were recorded in Bourne in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (465), anti-social behaviour (276) and shoplifting (156) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 893rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Bourne | South Kesteven | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,235 | 11,005 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.3 | 74.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 19,501 | 147,151 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Bourne of any year here (1,235 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,235 | 63.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,124 | 57.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,042 | 53.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 991 | 50.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,123 | 57.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,037 | 53.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,131 | 58.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,126 | 57.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 967 | 49.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 152 |
| July 2026 | 114 |
| June 2026 | 106 |
| May 2026 | 107 |
| April 2026 | 106 |
| March 2026 | 94 |
| February 2026 | 91 |
| January 2026 | 89 |
| December 2025 | 93 |
| November 2025 | 99 |
| October 2025 | 79 |
| September 2025 | 105 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (63% below) and burglary (52% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 51 to 156 and vehicle crime rose from 25 to 47, while other theft fell from 75 to 47.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 465 | 23.8 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 276 | 14.2 | 15.4 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 156 | 8.0 | 8.5 | +206% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 72 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Public order | 69 | 3.5 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Other theft | 47 | 2.4 | 6.4 | -37% |
| Vehicle crime | 47 | 2.4 | 5.0 | +88% |
| Other crime | 34 | 1.7 | 2.1 | +13% |
| Burglary | 33 | 1.7 | 3.6 | +43% |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 0.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bourne; the highest is Peterborough (133.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Deeping St James (40.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Deeping | 457 | 62.5 | -1% |
| Deeping St James | 251 | 40.7 | -36% |
| Stamford | 1,571 | 75.0 | +18% |
| Spalding | 3,207 | 98.2 | +55% |
| Crowland | 448 | 79.6 | +26% |
| Peterborough | 26,579 | 133.2 | +110% |
| Grantham | 5,191 | 114.8 | +81% |
| Sleaford | 1,353 | 78.9 | +25% |
Of the 3 areas within Bourne, Bourne East had the highest crime rate (74.3 per 1,000) and Bourne Austerby the lowest (49.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourne East | Neighbourhood | 5,259 | 391 | 74.3 |
| Bourne West | Neighbourhood | 5,547 | 411 | 74.1 |
| Bourne Austerby | Neighbourhood | 8,695 | 433 | 49.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Bourne over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Exeter Street” (117).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Exeter Street | 117 |
| On or near Shires Court | 44 |
| On or near Supermarket | 37 |
| On or near Witham Crescent | 35 |
| On or near Parking Area | 34 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 34 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 32 |
| On or near Wherry'S Lane | 30 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 28 |
| On or near Burghley Court | 26 |
Of the 959 crimes in Bourne with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 276 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 415 | 43.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 319 | 33.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 120 | 12.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 26 | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 14 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Bourne has an estimated population of 19,501 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (9.8%, against 17.1%), fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bourne average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Bourne | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bourne a safe place to live?
Bourne recorded 63.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 893rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Bourne?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 465 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (276).
Is crime in Bourne going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bourne was up 10% on the year before: 1,235 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,124 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bourne?
About 19,501 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bourne?
Bourne is policed by Lincolnshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.