Crime in Bridport: statistics, rates and trends
845 crimes were recorded in Bridport in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bridport at a glance
- Crime trends in Bridport
- Types of crime in Bridport
- Bridport compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bridport
- Streets with the most crime in Bridport
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bridport
- Demographics of Bridport
- Questions about crime in Bridport
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (301), anti-social behaviour (246) and shoplifting (61) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 535th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Bridport | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 845 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.8 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 9,964 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bridport peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,045 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (781). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 845 | 84.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 804 | 80.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 866 | 86.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 781 | 78.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 802 | 80.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 898 | 90.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,003 | 100.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 948 | 95.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,045 | 104.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 106 |
| July 2026 | 102 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 98 |
| April 2026 | 76 |
| March 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 58 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 52 |
| November 2025 | 52 |
| October 2025 | 60 |
| September 2025 | 62 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bridport recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (61% above the national rate), and notably less public order (28% below) and shoplifting (28% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 43 to 61 and anti-social behaviour rose from 198 to 246.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 301 | 30.2 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 246 | 24.7 | 15.4 | +24% |
| Shoplifting | 61 | 6.1 | 8.5 | +42% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 59 | 5.9 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Other theft | 50 | 5.0 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Public order | 48 | 4.8 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Burglary | 27 | 2.7 | 3.6 | +17% |
| Vehicle crime | 15 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 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 Bridport; the highest is Chard (121.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Seaton (East Devon) (43.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bridport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crewkerne | 604 | 91.7 | +8% |
| Axminster | 486 | 67.6 | -20% |
| Chard | 1,779 | 121.7 | +44% |
| Dorchester (Dorset) | 1,631 | 72.1 | -15% |
| Seaton (East Devon) | 337 | 43.3 | -49% |
| Weymouth | 5,466 | 101.3 | +19% |
| Ilminster | 396 | 64.1 | -24% |
| Yeovil | 6,211 | 119.7 | +41% |
Bridport is the one area listed within Bridport, with 70.3 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridport | Neighbourhood | 13,874 | 975 | 70.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Bridport 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 Downes Street | 98 |
| On or near Supermarket | 49 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 40 |
| On or near Normandy Way | 29 |
| On or near Gundry Lane | 28 |
| On or near West End Row | 27 |
| On or near Alexandra Road | 23 |
| On or near Journeys End | 20 |
| On or near Lansdowne Road | 20 |
Of the 599 crimes in Bridport with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 246 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 218 | 36.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 189 | 31.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 61 | 10.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 39 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 20 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 2.3% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Bridport has an estimated population of 9,964 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (36%, against 19%), more retired residents (38%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bridport average decile 5.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bridport | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 36.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 46.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 38.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bridport a safe place to live?
Bridport recorded 84.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 535th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Bridport?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 301 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (246).
Is crime in Bridport going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bridport was up 5% on the year before: 845 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 804 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bridport?
About 9,964 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 36% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bridport?
Bridport 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.