Crime in Burscough: statistics, rates and trends
744 crimes were recorded in Burscough in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Burscough at a glance
- Crime trends in Burscough
- Types of crime in Burscough
- Burscough compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Burscough
- Streets with the most crime in Burscough
- What happened after crimes were reported in Burscough
- Demographics of Burscough
- Questions about crime in Burscough
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (285), anti-social behaviour (184) and shoplifting (74) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 731st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Burscough | West Lancashire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 744 | 7,540 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.5 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -13% | -1% |
| Population | 10,258 | 121,995 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Burscough peaked in the year to August 2025 (764 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (528). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 744 | 72.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 764 | 74.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 560 | 54.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 529 | 51.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 532 | 51.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 680 | 66.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 566 | 55.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 528 | 51.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 693 | 67.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 57 |
| July 2026 | 72 |
| June 2026 | 54 |
| May 2026 | 48 |
| April 2026 | 55 |
| March 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 40 |
| January 2026 | 62 |
| December 2025 | 67 |
| November 2025 | 93 |
| October 2025 | 60 |
| September 2025 | 65 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (46% below) and criminal damage and arson (39% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 46 to 74 and public order rose from 30 to 37, while criminal damage and arson fell from 75 to 42 and anti-social behaviour fell from 239 to 184.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 285 | 27.8 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 184 | 17.9 | 15.4 | -23% |
| Shoplifting | 74 | 7.2 | 8.5 | +61% |
| Other theft | 46 | 4.5 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 42 | 4.1 | 6.7 | -44% |
| Public order | 37 | 3.6 | 6.7 | +23% |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 16 | 1.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 16 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 1.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Burscough; the highest is Skelmersdale (96.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Rainford (34.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Burscough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ormskirk | 1,518 | 49.8 | -31% |
| Skelmersdale | 3,405 | 96.4 | +33% |
| Banks | 218 | 42.6 | -41% |
| Tarleton and Hesketh Bank | 330 | 35.1 | -52% |
| Lydiate | 299 | 35.9 | -51% |
| Southport | 7,588 | 80.0 | +10% |
| Rainford | 185 | 34.4 | -53% |
| Maghull | 973 | 49.7 | -31% |
Of the 2 areas within Burscough, Burscough Town had the highest crime rate (74.1 per 1,000) and Burscough Bridge & Rufford the lowest (56.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burscough Town | Neighbourhood | 6,150 | 456 | 74.1 |
| Burscough Bridge & Rufford | Neighbourhood | 7,453 | 421 | 56.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Burscough over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Admiralty Close” (68).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Admiralty Close | 68 |
| On or near Supermarket | 43 |
| On or near Lordsgate Lane | 31 |
| On or near Chancel Way | 29 |
| On or near Liverpool Road North | 29 |
| On or near Abbey Lane | 25 |
| On or near Parking Area | 24 |
| On or near Boundary Lane | 20 |
| On or near Higgin'S Lane | 19 |
| On or near Orrell Lane | 19 |
Of the 560 crimes in Burscough with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 184 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 236 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 118 | 21.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 39 | 7.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 24 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 18 | 3.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
Burscough has an estimated population of 10,258 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and less private renting (14%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Burscough average decile 7.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Burscough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Burscough a safe place to live?
Burscough recorded 72.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 731st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Burscough?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 285 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (184).
Is crime in Burscough going up or down?
Recorded crime in Burscough was down 3% on the year before: 744 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 764 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Burscough?
About 10,258 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Burscough?
Burscough 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.