Crime in Ormskirk: statistics, rates and trends
1,518 crimes were recorded in Ormskirk in the 12 months to August 2026, 49.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ormskirk at a glance
- Crime trends in Ormskirk
- Types of crime in Ormskirk
- Ormskirk compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ormskirk
- Streets with the most crime in Ormskirk
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ormskirk
- Demographics of Ormskirk
- Questions about crime in Ormskirk
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (605), anti-social behaviour (323) and shoplifting (130) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,152nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Ormskirk | West Lancashire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,518 | 7,540 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 49.8 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -16% | -13% | -1% |
| Population | 30,479 | 121,995 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ormskirk of any year here (1,518 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 31%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,518 | 49.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,807 | 59.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,754 | 57.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,704 | 55.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,804 | 59.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,058 | 67.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,257 | 74.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,263 | 74.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,205 | 72.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 142 |
| July 2026 | 158 |
| June 2026 | 134 |
| May 2026 | 128 |
| April 2026 | 125 |
| March 2026 | 112 |
| February 2026 | 97 |
| January 2026 | 90 |
| December 2025 | 148 |
| November 2025 | 121 |
| October 2025 | 133 |
| September 2025 | 130 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (71% below) and vehicle crime (66% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 39 to 52 and public order rose from 58 to 77, while anti-social behaviour fell from 621 to 323 and drugs fell from 44 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 605 | 19.8 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 323 | 10.6 | 15.4 | -48% |
| Shoplifting | 130 | 4.3 | 8.5 | -28% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 101 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Other theft | 83 | 2.7 | 6.4 | +19% |
| Public order | 77 | 2.5 | 6.7 | +33% |
| Vehicle crime | 52 | 1.7 | 5.0 | +33% |
| Burglary | 47 | 1.5 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Drugs | 29 | 1.0 | 3.3 | -34% |
| Other crime | 23 | 0.8 | 2.1 | -21% |
| Robbery | 20 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ormskirk; the highest is Kirkby (101.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Rainford (34.4).
Of the 4 areas within Ormskirk, Ormskirk East had the highest crime rate (76.5 per 1,000) and Rural South the lowest (26.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ormskirk East | Neighbourhood | 9,700 | 742 | 76.5 |
| Ormskirk West | Neighbourhood | 8,314 | 485 | 58.3 |
| Aughton & Holborn | Neighbourhood | 9,798 | 263 | 26.8 |
| Rural South | Neighbourhood | 4,983 | 132 | 26.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Ormskirk over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (153).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 153 |
| On or near Moor Street | 98 |
| On or near Parking Area | 96 |
| On or near Dicconson Way | 64 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 37 |
| On or near The Stiles | 35 |
| On or near Ellerbrook Way | 23 |
| On or near Atkinson Road | 22 |
| On or near Green Lane Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Crosshall Brow | 20 |
Of the 1,195 crimes in Ormskirk with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 323 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 448 | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 358 | 30.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 162 | 13.6% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 63 | 5.3% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 54 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 2.0% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 7 | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Ormskirk has an estimated population of 30,479 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (25.0%, against 7.9%), less social housing (9.3%, against 17.1%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (12%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ormskirk average decile 8.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ormskirk | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 25.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ormskirk a safe place to live?
Ormskirk recorded 49.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,152nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ormskirk?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 605 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (323).
Is crime in Ormskirk going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ormskirk was down 16% on the year before: 1,518 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,807 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ormskirk?
About 30,479 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ormskirk?
Ormskirk 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.