Crime in Gillingham (Dorset): statistics, rates and trends
539 crimes were recorded in Gillingham (Dorset) in the 12 months to August 2026, 46.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Gillingham (Dorset) at a glance
- Crime trends in Gillingham (Dorset)
- Types of crime in Gillingham (Dorset)
- Gillingham (Dorset) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Gillingham (Dorset)
- Streets with the most crime in Gillingham (Dorset)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Gillingham (Dorset)
- Demographics of Gillingham (Dorset)
- Questions about crime in Gillingham (Dorset)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (171), anti-social behaviour (146) and criminal damage and arson (59) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,211th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Gillingham (Dorset) | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 539 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 46.1 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 11,690 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Gillingham (Dorset) peaked in the year to August 2019 (881 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (498). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 35%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 539 | 46.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 498 | 42.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 559 | 47.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 752 | 64.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 677 | 57.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 723 | 61.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 784 | 67.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 881 | 75.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 825 | 70.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 54 |
| July 2026 | 60 |
| June 2026 | 56 |
| May 2026 | 48 |
| April 2026 | 37 |
| March 2026 | 42 |
| February 2026 | 26 |
| January 2026 | 38 |
| December 2025 | 41 |
| November 2025 | 48 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 38 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (79% below) and public order (67% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 89 to 146 and criminal damage and arson rose from 40 to 59, while shoplifting fell from 34 to 21 and vehicle crime fell from 33 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 171 | 14.6 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 146 | 12.5 | 15.4 | +64% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 59 | 5.0 | 6.7 | +48% |
| Other theft | 40 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Burglary | 27 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +17% |
| Public order | 26 | 2.2 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 25 | 2.1 | 5.0 | -24% |
| Shoplifting | 21 | 1.8 | 8.5 | -38% |
| Other crime | 9 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Gillingham (Dorset).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gillingham (Dorset) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaftesbury | 682 | 72.6 | +58% |
| Wincanton | 583 | 89.0 | +93% |
| Warminster | 1,282 | 68.4 | +48% |
| Sherborne | 667 | 61.0 | +32% |
| Frome | 2,887 | 99.5 | +116% |
| Blandford Forum | 800 | 58.0 | +26% |
| Shepton Mallet | 949 | 89.8 | +95% |
| Westbury (Wiltshire) | 1,017 | 56.5 | +23% |
Gillingham is the one area listed within Gillingham (Dorset), with 41.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham | Neighbourhood | 15,244 | 635 | 41.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Gillingham (Dorset) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (32).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 32 |
| On or near Paris Court | 30 |
| On or near Parking Area | 24 |
| On or near Meadowcroft | 22 |
| On or near South Street | 20 |
| On or near Harding'S Lane | 18 |
| On or near Hyde Road | 17 |
| On or near Common Mead Lane | 16 |
| On or near The Meadows | 13 |
| On or near Matthews Place | 11 |
Of the 393 crimes in Gillingham (Dorset) with a recorded outcome, 37% 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 146 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 147 | 37.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 134 | 34.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 10.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 17 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 2.3% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
Gillingham (Dorset) has an estimated population of 11,690 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%), an older population (28%, against 19%) and fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gillingham (Dorset) average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Gillingham (Dorset) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Gillingham (Dorset) a safe place to live?
Gillingham (Dorset) recorded 46.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,211th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Gillingham (Dorset)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 171 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (146).
Is crime in Gillingham (Dorset) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gillingham (Dorset) was up 8% on the year before: 539 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 498 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gillingham (Dorset)?
About 11,690 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gillingham (Dorset)?
Gillingham (Dorset) 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.