Crime in Horncastle: statistics, rates and trends
500 crimes were recorded in Horncastle in the 12 months to August 2026, 85.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Horncastle at a glance
- Crime trends in Horncastle
- Types of crime in Horncastle
- Horncastle compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Horncastle
- Streets with the most crime in Horncastle
- What happened after crimes were reported in Horncastle
- Demographics of Horncastle
- Questions about crime in Horncastle
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (194), anti-social behaviour (82) and criminal damage and arson (47) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 533rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Horncastle | East Lindsey | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 500 | 14,298 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 85.1 | 98.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 5,873 | 145,183 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Horncastle peaked in the year to August 2020 (703 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (429). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 500 | 85.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 467 | 79.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 461 | 78.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 464 | 79.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 445 | 75.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 537 | 91.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 703 | 119.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 464 | 79.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 429 | 73.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 47 |
| July 2026 | 47 |
| June 2026 | 38 |
| May 2026 | 40 |
| April 2026 | 35 |
| March 2026 | 42 |
| February 2026 | 47 |
| January 2026 | 29 |
| December 2025 | 60 |
| November 2025 | 45 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 38 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (49% below) and vehicle crime (31% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 20 to 44 and other theft rose from 24 to 32, while anti-social behaviour fell from 123 to 82.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 194 | 33.0 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 82 | 14.0 | 15.4 | -33% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 47 | 8.0 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 44 | 7.5 | 8.5 | +120% |
| Other theft | 32 | 5.4 | 6.4 | +33% |
| Public order | 20 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 3.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 2.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 15 | 2.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 14 | 2.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Horncastle; the highest is Lincoln (158.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Washingborough and Heighington (35.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Horncastle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coningsby and Tattershall | 604 | 77.8 | -9% |
| Louth | 2,005 | 110.5 | +30% |
| Washingborough and Heighington | 259 | 35.1 | -59% |
| Ruskington | 297 | 51.9 | -39% |
| Boston | 6,044 | 136.7 | +61% |
| Bracebridge Heath | 280 | 48.2 | -43% |
| Waddington (North Kesteven) | 317 | 41.4 | -51% |
| Lincoln | 16,704 | 158.9 | +87% |
Horncastle is the one area listed within Horncastle, with 70.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horncastle | Neighbourhood | 7,962 | 563 | 70.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Horncastle over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “The Crescent” (40).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near The Crescent | 40 |
| On or near Supermarket | 39 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 32 |
| On or near Ann Wayne Avenue | 21 |
| On or near Market Place | 20 |
| On or near Churchill Avenue | 19 |
| On or near Church Lane | 15 |
| On or near Waring Street | 14 |
| On or near Mareham Road | 13 |
| On or near Mill Lane | 11 |
Of the 418 crimes in Horncastle with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 82 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 200 | 47.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 123 | 29.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 30 | 7.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 16 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.5% | 0.0% |
Horncastle has an estimated population of 5,873 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.7%, against 7.9%), an older population (26%, against 19%) and more retired residents (28%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Horncastle average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Horncastle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Horncastle a safe place to live?
Horncastle recorded 85.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 533rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Horncastle?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 194 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (82).
Is crime in Horncastle going up or down?
Recorded crime in Horncastle was up 7% on the year before: 500 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 467 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Horncastle?
About 5,873 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Horncastle?
Horncastle 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.