Crime in Lee-on-the-Solent: statistics, rates and trends
1,137 crimes were recorded in Lee-on-the-Solent in the 12 months to July 2026, 44.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- 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
- Population and deprivation in Lee-on-the-Solent
- Questions about crime in Lee-on-the-Solent
- About this data
1,137 crimes were recorded in Lee-on-the-Solent in the 12 months to July 2026, 44.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 11% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 482 reports (42% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Lee-on-the-Solent has the 1,244th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Lee-on-the-Solent | Fareham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,137 | 6,986 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.2 | 60.5 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +11% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 25,720 | 115,428 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Lee-on-the-Solent was highest in the year to July 2021 (1,617 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2025 (1,022). Over the whole period it fell 19%, 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 | 1,137 | 44.2 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,022 | 39.7 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,186 | 46.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,334 | 51.9 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,588 | 61.7 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,617 | 62.9 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,372 | 53.3 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,236 | 48.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,406 | 54.7 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 110 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Lee-on-the-Solent 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. The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+31%) and public order (+28%).
The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-44%) and shoplifting (-26%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 482 | 18.7 | 0.55 | +23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 192 | 7.5 | 0.49 | +31% |
| Public order | 101 | 3.9 | 0.59 | +28% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 72 | 2.8 | 0.41 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 72 | 2.8 | 0.34 | -26% |
| Other theft | 71 | 2.8 | 0.43 | -1% |
| Burglary | 34 | 1.3 | 0.37 | -8% |
| Other crime | 28 | 1.1 | 0.52 | +22% |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 0.9 | 0.19 | -44% |
| Drugs | 22 | 0.9 | 0.26 | +0% |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 0.7 | 0.68 | +55% |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.5 | 0.57 | -8% |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.4 | 0.29 | +11% |
Violence and sexual offences in Lee-on-the-Solent
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 482 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (18.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 23% on the year before. It made up 42.4% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Lee-on-the-Solent
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 192 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 31% on the year before. It made up 16.9% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Lee-on-the-Solent
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 101 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 28% on the year before. It made up 8.9% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Lee-on-the-Solent
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 72 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 1% on the year before. It made up 6.3% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Lee-on-the-Solent
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 72 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 26% on the year before. It made up 6.3% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Lee-on-the-Solent
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 71 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 6.2% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Lee-on-the-Solent
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 34 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Lee-on-the-Solent
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 28 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 22% on the year before. It made up 2.5% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Lee-on-the-Solent
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 24 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 44% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Lee-on-the-Solent
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 22 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Lee-on-the-Solent
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 55% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Lee-on-the-Solent
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 12 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Lee-on-the-Solent
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 10 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 11% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Lee-on-the-Solent, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Lee-on-the-Solent.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lee-on-the-Solent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gosport | 5,894 | 85.1 | +93% |
| Fareham | 3,189 | 79.6 | +80% |
| Locks Heath | 1,926 | 53.5 | +21% |
| Whiteley | 667 | 65.5 | +48% |
| East Cowes | 652 | 70.2 | +59% |
| Portsmouth | 27,419 | 119.3 | +170% |
| Cowes | 732 | 48.9 | +11% |
| Ryde | 2,231 | 93.0 | +110% |
4 areas within Lee-on-the-Solent, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Lee West had the highest rate (62.6 per 1,000) and Lee East the lowest (24.1). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee West | Neighbourhood | 5,350 | 335 | 62.6 |
| Stubbington | Neighbourhood | 7,581 | 428 | 56.5 |
| Hill Head | Neighbourhood | 6,945 | 233 | 33.5 |
| Lee East | Neighbourhood | 5,844 | 141 | 24.1 |
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 Lee-on-the-Solent over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 138 |
| On or near Supermarket | 128 |
| On or near Stubbington Lane | 29 |
| On or near Mark'S Road | 28 |
| On or near Newgate Lane East | 22 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 21 |
| On or near Pier Street | 20 |
| On or near Cambridge Road | 18 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 16 |
| On or near Foster Close | 15 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Lee-on-the-Solent 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 | 322 | 28.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 297 | 26.1% |
| Not recorded | 192 | 16.9% |
| Under investigation | 92 | 8.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 73 | 6.4% |
| Local resolution | 64 | 5.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 37 | 3.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 1.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 1.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 0.9% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.8% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.7% |
Lee-on-the-Solent has an estimated population of 25,720. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Lee-on-the-Solent sits in decile 8.8, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Lee-on-the-Solent |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 53.8% |
| Aged 65 and over | 32.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.4% |
| Social rented homes | 7.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.8 |
Is Lee-on-the-Solent a safe place to live?
Lee-on-the-Solent recorded 44.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than 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 Lee-on-the-Solent?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 482 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (192).
Is crime in Lee-on-the-Solent going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lee-on-the-Solent was up 11% on the year before: 1,137 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,022 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Lee-on-the-Solent?
Lee-on-the-Solent is policed by Hampshire. 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 Lee-on-the-Solent. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.