Crime in Oswaldtwistle: statistics, rates and trends
1,109 crimes were recorded in Oswaldtwistle in the 12 months to August 2026, 121.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Oswaldtwistle at a glance
- Crime trends in Oswaldtwistle
- Types of crime in Oswaldtwistle
- Oswaldtwistle compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Oswaldtwistle
- Streets with the most crime in Oswaldtwistle
- What happened after crimes were reported in Oswaldtwistle
- Demographics of Oswaldtwistle
- Questions about crime in Oswaldtwistle
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (447), anti-social behaviour (231) and vehicle crime (77) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 168th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Oswaldtwistle | Hyndburn | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,109 | 10,693 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 121.6 | 124.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 9,121 | 86,058 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Oswaldtwistle peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,244 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (924). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,109 | 121.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,107 | 121.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,047 | 114.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,038 | 113.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,028 | 112.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 960 | 105.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,244 | 136.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 924 | 101.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,024 | 112.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 96 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 87 |
| May 2026 | 99 |
| April 2026 | 89 |
| March 2026 | 137 |
| February 2026 | 81 |
| January 2026 | 86 |
| December 2025 | 84 |
| November 2025 | 71 |
| October 2025 | 83 |
| September 2025 | 104 |
Compared with England and Wales, Oswaldtwistle recorded notably more vehicle crime (70% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (65% above the national rate) and burglary (51% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (23% below) and other theft (20% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 50 to 72 and public order rose from 41 to 58, while anti-social behaviour fell from 360 to 231.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 447 | 49.0 | 34.2 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 231 | 25.3 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Vehicle crime | 77 | 8.4 | 5.0 | +10% |
| Shoplifting | 72 | 7.9 | 8.5 | +44% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 67 | 7.3 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Public order | 58 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Burglary | 49 | 5.4 | 3.6 | +32% |
| Other theft | 47 | 5.2 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Drugs | 23 | 2.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Oswaldtwistle; the highest is Accrington (149.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Haslingden (73.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oswaldtwistle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accrington | 5,483 | 149.9 | +23% |
| Rishton | 638 | 91.0 | -25% |
| Clayton-le-Moors | 1,139 | 113.7 | -6% |
| Great Harwood | 1,062 | 92.6 | -24% |
| Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) | 14,354 | 113.1 | -7% |
| Darwen | 3,013 | 102.7 | -16% |
| Haslingden | 1,234 | 73.7 | -39% |
| Padiham | 1,527 | 137.7 | +13% |
Of the 3 areas within Oswaldtwistle, St Andrew's had the highest crime rate (161.7 per 1,000) and St Oswald's the lowest (50.6), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's | Neighbourhood | 4,694 | 759 | 161.7 |
| Immanuel | Neighbourhood | 4,574 | 584 | 127.7 |
| St Oswald's | Neighbourhood | 6,210 | 314 | 50.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Oswaldtwistle over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “James Street” (90).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near James Street | 90 |
| On or near Union Road | 66 |
| On or near Heys Lane | 45 |
| On or near Trinity Street | 39 |
| On or near Commercial Street | 38 |
| On or near Victoria Street | 31 |
| On or near Parking Area | 30 |
| On or near Brook Street | 28 |
| On or near Thwaites Road | 23 |
| On or near Heys | 21 |
Of the 878 crimes in Oswaldtwistle with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 231 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 363 | 41.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 255 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 80 | 9.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 59 | 6.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 39 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 37 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 20 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
Oswaldtwistle has an estimated population of 9,121 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (10%, against 17%), fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (27%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Oswaldtwistle average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Oswaldtwistle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 17.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Oswaldtwistle a safe place to live?
Oswaldtwistle recorded 121.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 168th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Oswaldtwistle?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 447 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (231).
Is crime in Oswaldtwistle going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oswaldtwistle was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,109 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,107 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Oswaldtwistle?
About 9,121 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Oswaldtwistle?
Oswaldtwistle 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.