Crime in Morecambe: statistics, rates and trends
4,511 crimes were recorded in Morecambe in the 12 months to August 2026, 140.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Morecambe at a glance
- Crime trends in Morecambe
- Types of crime in Morecambe
- Morecambe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Morecambe
- Streets with the most crime in Morecambe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Morecambe
- Demographics of Morecambe
- Questions about crime in Morecambe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,572), anti-social behaviour (958) and criminal damage and arson (430) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 85th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Morecambe | Lancaster | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,511 | 14,063 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 140.9 | 97.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -10% | -1% |
| Population | 32,024 | 145,006 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Morecambe peaked in the year to August 2018 (5,797 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (4,387). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,511 | 140.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,564 | 142.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,387 | 137.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,858 | 151.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 5,510 | 172.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,689 | 177.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 5,367 | 167.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,559 | 173.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,797 | 181.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 339 |
| July 2026 | 441 |
| June 2026 | 431 |
| May 2026 | 434 |
| April 2026 | 335 |
| March 2026 | 384 |
| February 2026 | 285 |
| January 2026 | 329 |
| December 2025 | 363 |
| November 2025 | 397 |
| October 2025 | 342 |
| September 2025 | 431 |
Compared with England and Wales, Morecambe recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.2 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (2.0 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (95% above the national rate), and notably less robbery (24% below). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 25 to 57 and vehicle crime rose from 118 to 189, while anti-social behaviour fell from 1,312 to 958.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,572 | 49.1 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 958 | 29.9 | 15.4 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 430 | 13.4 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 320 | 10.0 | 8.5 | +2% |
| Other theft | 247 | 7.7 | 6.4 | +4% |
| Public order | 219 | 6.8 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Vehicle crime | 189 | 5.9 | 5.0 | +60% |
| Burglary | 185 | 5.8 | 3.6 | -7% |
| Drugs | 130 | 4.1 | 3.3 | -12% |
| Other crime | 113 | 3.5 | 2.1 | +28% |
| Bicycle theft | 57 | 1.8 | 0.8 | +128% |
| Possession of weapons | 44 | 1.4 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Robbery | 33 | 1.0 | 1.4 | +43% |
| Theft from the person | 14 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Of the 5 areas within Morecambe, Poulton had the highest crime rate (260.0 per 1,000) and Torrisholme the lowest (49.7), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poulton | Neighbourhood | 5,854 | 1,522 | 260.0 |
| Westgate | Neighbourhood | 6,677 | 1,062 | 159.1 |
| West End | Neighbourhood | 7,683 | 1,176 | 153.1 |
| Bare | Neighbourhood | 6,971 | 467 | 67.0 |
| Torrisholme | Neighbourhood | 3,862 | 192 | 49.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Morecambe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Bath Street” (160).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Bath Street | 160 |
| On or near Supermarket | 135 |
| On or near Parking Area | 122 |
| On or near Cedar Street | 121 |
| On or near Royal Road | 101 |
| On or near Back Crescent Street | 88 |
| On or near Euston Grove | 84 |
| On or near Regent Road | 84 |
| On or near Glentworth Road East | 78 |
| On or near Cavendish Road | 76 |
Of the 3,553 crimes in Morecambe with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 958 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,260 | 35.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,093 | 30.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 397 | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 282 | 7.9% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 194 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 118 | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 85 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 46 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 36 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 8 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Morecambe has an estimated population of 32,024 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.2%, against 17.1%), fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (29%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Morecambe average decile 4.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Morecambe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 27.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 24.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Morecambe a safe place to live?
Morecambe recorded 140.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 85th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Morecambe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,572 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (958).
Is crime in Morecambe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Morecambe was down 1% on the year before: 4,511 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,564 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Morecambe?
About 32,024 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Morecambe?
Morecambe 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.