Crime in Longton: statistics, rates and trends
365 crimes were recorded in Longton in the 12 months to August 2026, 31.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 24% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (143), anti-social behaviour (90) and criminal damage and arson (41) made up 75% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,365th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Longton | South Ribble | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 365 | 8,894 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 31.9 | 76.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -24% | -9% | -1% |
| Population | 11,436 | 116,113 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Longton peaked in the year to August 2020 (513 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (357). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 365 | 31.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 478 | 41.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 412 | 36.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 357 | 31.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 375 | 32.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 485 | 42.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 513 | 44.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 462 | 40.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 501 | 43.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 31 |
| July 2026 | 33 |
| June 2026 | 34 |
| May 2026 | 28 |
| April 2026 | 22 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 34 |
| January 2026 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 32 |
| November 2025 | 40 |
| October 2025 | 26 |
| September 2025 | 30 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (72% below) and violence and sexual offences (63% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 28 to 41, while anti-social behaviour fell from 178 to 90 and other theft fell from 30 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 143 | 12.5 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 90 | 7.9 | 15.4 | -49% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 41 | 3.6 | 6.7 | +46% |
| Other theft | 21 | 1.8 | 6.4 | -30% |
| Public order | 16 | 1.4 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 13 | 1.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 11 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 0.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 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 Longton.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Longton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penwortham | 1,130 | 62.8 | +97% |
| Tarleton and Hesketh Bank | 330 | 35.1 | +10% |
| Leyland | 3,668 | 90.0 | +182% |
| Bamber Bridge | 3,825 | 91.9 | +188% |
| Cottam (Preston) | 509 | 52.7 | +65% |
| Preston (Preston) | 15,909 | 160.6 | +403% |
| Warton (Fylde) | 344 | 59.4 | +86% |
| Fulwood | 2,656 | 77.2 | +142% |
Of the 3 areas within Longton, New Longton & Hutton East had the highest crime rate (60.1 per 1,000) and Longton & Hutton West the lowest (27.0).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Longton & Hutton East | Neighbourhood | 4,741 | 285 | 60.1 |
| Hoole | Neighbourhood | 4,395 | 178 | 40.5 |
| Longton & Hutton West | Neighbourhood | 5,590 | 151 | 27.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Longton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Brooklawns” (22).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Brooklawns | 22 |
| On or near Middle Hey | 21 |
| On or near East Square | 15 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 11 |
| On or near Hambleton Close | 9 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 9 |
| On or near Liverpool Old Road | 8 |
| On or near Old Mill Court | 8 |
| On or near Boundary Close | 7 |
| On or near Wham Hey | 7 |
Of the 275 crimes in Longton with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 90 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 129 | 46.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 78 | 28.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 38 | 13.8% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 5.8% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4 | 1.5% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
Longton has an estimated population of 11,436 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (4.5%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (8.5%, against 23.3%) and an older population (29%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Longton average decile 9.1 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Longton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 85.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 4.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Longton a safe place to live?
Longton recorded 31.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,365th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Longton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 143 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (90).
Is crime in Longton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Longton was down 24% on the year before: 365 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 478 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Longton?
About 11,436 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Longton?
Longton is policed by Lancashire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.