Crime in Darwen: statistics, rates and trends
3,076 crimes were recorded in Darwen in the 12 months to July 2026, 104.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
3,076 crimes were recorded in Darwen in the 12 months to July 2026, 104.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 10% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 1,292 reports (42% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Darwen has the 302nd highest crime rate.
| Measure | Darwen | Blackburn with Darwen | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 3,076 | 18,049 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 104.9 | 111.0 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 29,333 | 162,540 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Darwen was highest in the year to July 2021 (4,492 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (3,076). Over the whole period it fell 22%, 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 | 3,076 | 104.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 3,421 | 116.6 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 3,380 | 115.2 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 3,637 | 124.0 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 4,191 | 142.9 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 4,492 | 153.1 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 4,231 | 144.2 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 3,968 | 135.3 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 3,954 | 134.8 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 242 |
| June 2026 | 268 |
| May 2026 | 270 |
| April 2026 | 245 |
| March 2026 | 246 |
| February 2026 | 222 |
| January 2026 | 249 |
| December 2025 | 293 |
| November 2025 | 266 |
| October 2025 | 222 |
| September 2025 | 252 |
| August 2025 | 301 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Darwen 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. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, vehicle crime.
The largest increases were in other crime (+33%) and drugs (+11%). The largest falls were in anti-social behaviour (-35%) and burglary (-22%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,292 | 44.0 | 1.29 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 655 | 22.3 | 1.46 | -35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 237 | 8.1 | 1.19 | -13% |
| Vehicle crime | 181 | 6.2 | 1.25 | -1% |
| Other theft | 147 | 5.0 | 0.78 | -2% |
| Public order | 141 | 4.8 | 0.72 | -7% |
| Shoplifting | 113 | 3.9 | 0.46 | +0% |
| Other crime | 93 | 3.2 | 1.50 | +33% |
| Burglary | 85 | 2.9 | 0.82 | -22% |
| Drugs | 73 | 2.5 | 0.76 | +11% |
| Possession of weapons | 33 | 1.1 | 1.16 | -11% |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.5 | 0.35 | +56% |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.2 | 0.14 | -36% |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.21 | +25% |
Violence and sexual offences in Darwen
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Darwen recorded 1,292 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (44.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 42.0% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Darwen
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Darwen recorded 655 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (22.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 35% on the year before. It made up 21.3% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Darwen
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Darwen recorded 237 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 13% on the year before. It made up 7.7% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Darwen
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Darwen recorded 181 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 5.9% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Darwen
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Darwen recorded 147 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 2% on the year before. It made up 4.8% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Darwen
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Darwen recorded 141 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Darwen
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Darwen recorded 113 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 3.7% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Darwen
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Darwen recorded 93 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 33% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Darwen
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Darwen recorded 85 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 22% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Darwen
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Darwen recorded 73 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 11% on the year before. It made up 2.4% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Darwen
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Darwen recorded 33 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Darwen
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Darwen recorded 14 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 56% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Darwen
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Darwen recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 36% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Darwen
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Darwen recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 25% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Darwen, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Darwen.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Darwen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) | 14,478 | 114.1 | +9% |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1,120 | 122.8 | +17% |
| Rishton | 662 | 94.4 | -10% |
| Accrington | 5,517 | 150.8 | +44% |
| Haslingden | 1,231 | 73.5 | -30% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,153 | 115.1 | +10% |
| Great Harwood | 1,101 | 96.0 | -8% |
| Chorley | 4,885 | 117.3 | +12% |
3 areas within Darwen, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Darwen East had the highest rate (131.4 per 1,000) and Darwen South the lowest (61.9). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen East | Neighbourhood | 10,714 | 1,408 | 131.4 |
| Darwen West | Neighbourhood | 7,830 | 984 | 125.7 |
| Darwen South | Neighbourhood | 9,658 | 598 | 61.9 |
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 Darwen over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 85 |
| On or near Church Bank Street | 83 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 81 |
| On or near Sandringham Road | 77 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 69 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 67 |
| On or near Linden Crescent | 53 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 52 |
| On or near Victoria Street | 44 |
| On or near Anyon Street | 44 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Darwen 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 | 1,008 | 32.8% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 659 | 21.4% |
| Not recorded | 655 | 21.3% |
| Under investigation | 231 | 7.5% |
| Local resolution | 192 | 6.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 96 | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 83 | 2.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 62 | 2.0% |
| Offender given a caution | 49 | 1.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 0.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.2% |
Darwen has an estimated population of 29,333. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Darwen sits in decile 3.4, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Darwen |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 63.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.1% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.8% |
| Social rented homes | 14.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.1% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 21.8% |
Is Darwen a safe place to live?
Darwen recorded 104.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to 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 Darwen?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,292 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (655).
Is crime in Darwen going up or down?
Recorded crime in Darwen was down 10% on the year before: 3,076 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 3,421 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Darwen?
Darwen 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 Darwen. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.