Crime in Cottam (Preston): statistics, rates and trends
528 crimes were recorded in Cottam (Preston) in the 12 months to July 2026, 54.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Cottam (Preston) at a glance
- Crime trends in Cottam (Preston)
- Types of crime in Cottam (Preston)
- Cottam (Preston) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Cottam (Preston)
- Streets with the most crime in Cottam (Preston)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Cottam (Preston)
- Population and deprivation in Cottam (Preston)
- Questions about crime in Cottam (Preston)
- About this data
528 crimes were recorded in Cottam (Preston) in the 12 months to July 2026, 54.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 16% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 233 reports (44% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Cottam (Preston) has the 1,077th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Cottam (Preston) | Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 528 | 20,865 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 54.6 | 128.1 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,666 | 162,864 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Cottam (Preston) was highest in the year to July 2025 (629 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (143). Over the whole period it rose 269%, 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 | 528 | 54.6 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 629 | 65.1 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 594 | 61.5 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 350 | 36.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 375 | 38.8 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 296 | 30.6 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 244 | 25.2 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 204 | 21.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 143 | 14.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 51 |
| June 2026 | 56 |
| May 2026 | 39 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 34 |
| February 2026 | 44 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 44 |
| November 2025 | 39 |
| October 2025 | 45 |
| September 2025 | 40 |
| August 2025 | 65 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Cottam (Preston) 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 increases were in violence and sexual offences (+15%).
The largest falls were in burglary (-46%) and anti-social behaviour (-44%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 233 | 24.1 | 0.70 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 122 | 12.6 | 0.82 | -44% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 4.7 | 0.69 | +10% |
| Other crime | 25 | 2.6 | 1.22 | +56% |
| Public order | 24 | 2.5 | 0.37 | -14% |
| Vehicle crime | 23 | 2.4 | 0.48 | -41% |
| Other theft | 20 | 2.1 | 0.32 | -23% |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.6 | 0.44 | -46% |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 0.8 | 0.10 | -50% |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.5 | 0.16 | -29% |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.4 | 0.43 | +100% |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 0.15 | -50% |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.13 | -67% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 0.06 | n/a |
Violence and sexual offences in Cottam (Preston)
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Cottam (Preston) recorded 233 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (24.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 44.1% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Cottam (Preston)
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Cottam (Preston) recorded 122 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (12.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 44% on the year before. It made up 23.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Cottam (Preston)
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Cottam (Preston) recorded 45 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 up 10% on the year before. It made up 8.5% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Cottam (Preston)
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Cottam (Preston) recorded 25 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 56% on the year before. It made up 4.7% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Cottam (Preston)
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Cottam (Preston) recorded 24 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 14% on the year before. It made up 4.5% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Cottam (Preston)
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Cottam (Preston) recorded 23 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 41% on the year before. It made up 4.4% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Cottam (Preston)
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Cottam (Preston) recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 3.8% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Cottam (Preston)
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Cottam (Preston) recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 46% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Cottam (Preston)
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Cottam (Preston) recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Cottam (Preston)
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Cottam (Preston) recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 29% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Cottam (Preston)
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Cottam (Preston) recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 100% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Cottam (Preston)
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Cottam (Preston) recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Cottam (Preston)
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Cottam (Preston) recorded 1 report 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 67% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Cottam (Preston)
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Cottam (Preston) 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 with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Cottam (Preston), for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Cottam (Preston).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cottam (Preston) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulwood | 2,679 | 77.9 | +43% |
| Preston (Preston) | 15,987 | 161.4 | +195% |
| Penwortham | 1,161 | 64.5 | +18% |
| Longton | 363 | 31.7 | -42% |
| Kirkham | 679 | 82.5 | +51% |
| Bamber Bridge | 3,834 | 92.1 | +69% |
| Warton (Fylde) | 339 | 58.5 | +7% |
| Leyland | 3,760 | 92.3 | +69% |
1 areas within Cottam (Preston), ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Preston Rural North had the highest rate (47.2 per 1,000) and Preston Rural North the lowest (47.2). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Rural North | Neighbourhood | 7,852 | 371 | 47.2 |
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 Cottam (Preston) over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Canberra Lane | 42 |
| On or near Sandy Lane | 41 |
| On or near Downy Close | 33 |
| On or near Fiddlers Fold Court | 33 |
| On or near Finch Lane | 27 |
| On or near Harvester Drive | 24 |
| On or near Daisyfields | 20 |
| On or near Coleridge Close | 13 |
| On or near Edgewater Oaks | 13 |
| On or near Beagle Close | 12 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Cottam (Preston) 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 | 181 | 34.3% |
| Not recorded | 122 | 23.1% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 87 | 16.5% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 9.7% |
| Local resolution | 26 | 4.9% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 4.2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 2.8% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.8% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.6% |
Cottam (Preston) has an estimated population of 9,666. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Cottam (Preston) sits in decile 8.2, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Cottam (Preston) |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.5% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 66.8% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.7% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 86.6% |
| Social rented homes | 5.9% |
| Private rented homes | 7.5% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 |
Is Cottam (Preston) a safe place to live?
Cottam (Preston) recorded 54.6 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 Cottam (Preston)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 233 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (122).
Is crime in Cottam (Preston) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cottam (Preston) was down 16% on the year before: 528 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 629 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Cottam (Preston)?
Cottam (Preston) is policed by Lancashire. 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 Cottam (Preston). Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.