Crime in Lee-on-the-Solent: statistics, rates and trends
1,155 crimes were recorded in Lee-on-the-Solent in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lee-on-the-Solent at a glance
- Crime trends in Lee-on-the-Solent
- Types of crime in Lee-on-the-Solent
- Lee-on-the-Solent compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Lee-on-the-Solent
- Streets with the most crime in Lee-on-the-Solent
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lee-on-the-Solent
- Demographics of Lee-on-the-Solent
- Questions about crime in Lee-on-the-Solent
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (435), anti-social behaviour (234) and public order (103) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,227th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Lee-on-the-Solent | Fareham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,155 | 7,052 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.9 | 61.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +12% | +4% | -1% |
| Population | 25,720 | 115,428 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Lee-on-the-Solent peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,632 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,034). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,155 | 44.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,034 | 40.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,191 | 46.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,248 | 48.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,620 | 63.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,632 | 63.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,383 | 53.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,286 | 50.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,335 | 51.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 128 |
| July 2026 | 112 |
| June 2026 | 100 |
| May 2026 | 108 |
| April 2026 | 89 |
| March 2026 | 84 |
| February 2026 | 76 |
| January 2026 | 102 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| November 2025 | 102 |
| October 2025 | 94 |
| September 2025 | 86 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (80% below) and drugs (74% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 129 to 234 and public order rose from 72 to 103, while vehicle crime fell from 42 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 435 | 16.9 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 234 | 9.1 | 15.4 | +81% |
| Public order | 103 | 4.0 | 6.7 | +43% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 81 | 3.1 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Shoplifting | 80 | 3.1 | 8.5 | +5% |
| Other theft | 77 | 3.0 | 6.4 | +18% |
| Burglary | 36 | 1.4 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Other crime | 31 | 1.2 | 2.1 | +41% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 1.0 | 5.0 | -38% |
| Drugs | 22 | 0.9 | 3.3 | +10% |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Lee-on-the-Solent.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lee-on-the-Solent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gosport | 5,937 | 85.8 | +91% |
| Fareham | 3,258 | 81.3 | +81% |
| Locks Heath | 1,925 | 53.5 | +19% |
| Whiteley | 657 | 64.6 | +44% |
| East Cowes | 654 | 70.4 | +57% |
| Portsmouth | 27,549 | 119.9 | +167% |
| Cowes | 766 | 51.2 | +14% |
| Ryde | 2,246 | 93.6 | +108% |
Of the 4 areas within Lee-on-the-Solent, Lee West had the highest crime rate (63.0 per 1,000) and Lee East the lowest (26.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee West | Neighbourhood | 5,350 | 337 | 63.0 |
| Stubbington | Neighbourhood | 7,581 | 436 | 57.5 |
| Hill Head | Neighbourhood | 6,945 | 226 | 32.5 |
| Lee East | Neighbourhood | 5,844 | 156 | 26.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Lee-on-the-Solent over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (143).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 143 |
| On or near Supermarket | 136 |
| On or near Mark'S Road | 30 |
| On or near Pier Street | 24 |
| On or near Newgate Lane East | 22 |
| On or near Stubbington Lane | 20 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 16 |
| On or near Foster Close | 16 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 16 |
| On or near Osborne Road | 15 |
Of the 921 crimes in Lee-on-the-Solent with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 234 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 320 | 34.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 308 | 33.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 89 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 58 | 6.3% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 46 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 38 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 16 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Lee-on-the-Solent has an estimated population of 25,720 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (32%, against 19%), more retired residents (36%, against 22%) and less social housing (7.1%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lee-on-the-Solent average decile 8.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Lee-on-the-Solent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lee-on-the-Solent a safe place to live?
Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 44.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,227th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Lee-on-the-Solent?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 435 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (234).
Is crime in Lee-on-the-Solent going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lee-on-the-Solent was up 12% on the year before: 1,155 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,034 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lee-on-the-Solent?
About 25,720 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lee-on-the-Solent?
Lee-on-the-Solent is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.