Crime in Merley: statistics, rates and trends
167 crimes were recorded in Merley in the 12 months to August 2026, 27.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (68), anti-social behaviour (42), other theft (11) and public order (11) made up 79% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,381st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Merley | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 167 | 35,930 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 27.4 | 87.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 6,102 | 408,967 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Merley peaked in the year to August 2019 (217 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (143). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 167 | 27.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 166 | 27.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 177 | 29.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 143 | 23.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 153 | 25.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 177 | 29.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 193 | 31.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 217 | 35.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 189 | 31.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 24 |
| July 2026 | 13 |
| June 2026 | 9 |
| May 2026 | 15 |
| April 2026 | 16 |
| March 2026 | 19 |
| February 2026 | 10 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 14 |
| November 2025 | 10 |
| October 2025 | 15 |
| September 2025 | 7 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (67% below) and anti-social behaviour (55% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 57 to 68.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 68 | 11.1 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 42 | 6.9 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Other theft | 11 | 1.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 11 | 1.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 8 | 1.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 1.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 7 | 1.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 1 | 0.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Merley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wimborne Minster | 972 | 60.8 | +122% |
| Bearwood | 302 | 59.5 | +118% |
| Corfe Mullen | 393 | 36.8 | +34% |
| Ferndown | 545 | 39.6 | +45% |
| Poole | 10,739 | 74.0 | +170% |
| Upton (Dorset) | 366 | 41.8 | +53% |
| West Moors | 448 | 42.8 | +56% |
| Bournemouth | 21,896 | 108.0 | +295% |
Bearwood & Merley is the one area listed within Merley, with 59.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearwood & Merley | Neighbourhood | 14,381 | 855 | 59.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Merley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Knighton Lane” (18).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Knighton Lane | 18 |
| On or near Moortown Drive | 11 |
| On or near Selkirk Close | 11 |
| On or near Parking Area | 9 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 9 |
| On or near Hawker Close | 8 |
| On or near De Montfort Road | 7 |
| On or near Oakley Hill | 7 |
| On or near Stirling Place | 7 |
| On or near Merley Park Road | 6 |
Of the 125 crimes in Merley with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales. The 42 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 55 | 44.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 38 | 30.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 6 | 4.8% | 11.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 4.0% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 4.0% | 0.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
Merley has an estimated population of 6,102 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (3.5%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (6.8%, against 23.3%) and an older population (32%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Merley average decile 9.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Merley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 6.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 87.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 3.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 8.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Merley a safe place to live?
Merley recorded 27.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,381st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Merley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 68 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (42).
Is crime in Merley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Merley was almost unchanged on the year before: 167 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 166 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Merley?
About 6,102 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Merley?
Merley 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.