Crime in Gainsborough: statistics, rates and trends
4,010 crimes were recorded in Gainsborough in the 12 months to August 2026, 175.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Gainsborough at a glance
- Crime trends in Gainsborough
- Types of crime in Gainsborough
- Gainsborough compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Gainsborough
- Streets with the most crime in Gainsborough
- What happened after crimes were reported in Gainsborough
- Demographics of Gainsborough
- Questions about crime in Gainsborough
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,469), anti-social behaviour (869) and shoplifting (457) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 26th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Gainsborough | West Lindsey | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,010 | 8,204 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 175.4 | 82.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 22,857 | 99,208 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Gainsborough peaked in the year to August 2022 (4,425 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (3,662). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 5%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,010 | 175.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,278 | 187.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,072 | 178.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,258 | 186.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,425 | 193.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,884 | 169.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,662 | 160.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,057 | 177.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,825 | 167.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 318 |
| July 2026 | 387 |
| June 2026 | 369 |
| May 2026 | 361 |
| April 2026 | 357 |
| March 2026 | 343 |
| February 2026 | 304 |
| January 2026 | 274 |
| December 2025 | 281 |
| November 2025 | 348 |
| October 2025 | 339 |
| September 2025 | 329 |
Compared with England and Wales, Gainsborough recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.5 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.5 times the national rate) and shoplifting (2.4 times the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (23% below) and drugs (22% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 29 to 47, while burglary fell from 193 to 114 and drugs fell from 88 to 58.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,469 | 64.3 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 869 | 38.0 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Shoplifting | 457 | 20.0 | 8.5 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 385 | 16.8 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Public order | 203 | 8.9 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Other theft | 157 | 6.9 | 6.4 | -14% |
| Burglary | 114 | 5.0 | 3.6 | -41% |
| Other crime | 110 | 4.8 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 88 | 3.9 | 5.0 | -6% |
| Drugs | 58 | 2.5 | 3.3 | -34% |
| Robbery | 47 | 2.1 | 1.4 | +62% |
| Possession of weapons | 35 | 1.5 | 1.0 | +13% |
| Bicycle theft | 17 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gainsborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retford | 2,205 | 87.3 | -50% |
| Finningley | 303 | 54.7 | -69% |
| Harworth and Bircotes | 728 | 95.9 | -45% |
| Scunthorpe | 11,555 | 141.9 | -19% |
| New Rossington and Rossington | 1,091 | 74.5 | -58% |
| Tickhill | 261 | 49.8 | -72% |
| Carlton in Lindrick | 477 | 74.8 | -57% |
| Armthorpe | 1,460 | 98.7 | -44% |
Of the 3 areas within Gainsborough, Gainsborough South-West had the highest crime rate (364.0 per 1,000) and Gainsborough North the lowest (105.8), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainsborough South-West | Neighbourhood | 5,763 | 2,098 | 364.0 |
| Gainsborough East | Neighbourhood | 7,562 | 967 | 127.9 |
| Gainsborough North | Neighbourhood | 8,148 | 862 | 105.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Gainsborough over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (448).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 448 |
| On or near Market Place | 164 |
| On or near Supermarket | 152 |
| On or near Brook Lane | 71 |
| On or near Harpswell Close | 65 |
| On or near John Jenkinson Close | 65 |
| On or near A159 | 60 |
| On or near Meldrum Drive | 57 |
| On or near Stanley Street | 57 |
| On or near Gordon Street | 55 |
Of the 3,141 crimes in Gainsborough with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 869 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,446 | 46.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 846 | 26.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 331 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 171 | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 113 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 71 | 2.3% | 0.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 59 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 19 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 3 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Gainsborough has an estimated population of 22,857 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (19%, against 34%), fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%) and more private renting (27%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gainsborough average decile 2.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Gainsborough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 19.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 47.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Gainsborough a safe place to live?
Gainsborough recorded 175.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 26th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Gainsborough?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,469 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (869).
Is crime in Gainsborough going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gainsborough was down 6% on the year before: 4,010 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,278 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gainsborough?
About 22,857 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gainsborough?
Gainsborough 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.