Crime in Petersfield: statistics, rates and trends
1,010 crimes were recorded in Petersfield in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Petersfield at a glance
- Crime trends in Petersfield
- Types of crime in Petersfield
- Petersfield compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Petersfield
- Streets with the most crime in Petersfield
- What happened after crimes were reported in Petersfield
- Demographics of Petersfield
- Questions about crime in Petersfield
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (399), anti-social behaviour (119) and criminal damage and arson (98) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 898th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Petersfield | East Hampshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,010 | 6,149 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.2 | 47.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 15,977 | 129,975 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Petersfield of any year here (1,010 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,010 | 63.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,033 | 64.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,117 | 69.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,057 | 66.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,245 | 77.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,088 | 68.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,139 | 71.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,201 | 75.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,259 | 78.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 85 |
| July 2026 | 117 |
| June 2026 | 73 |
| May 2026 | 82 |
| April 2026 | 85 |
| March 2026 | 95 |
| February 2026 | 86 |
| January 2026 | 57 |
| December 2025 | 72 |
| November 2025 | 83 |
| October 2025 | 88 |
| September 2025 | 87 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (61% below) and anti-social behaviour (52% below) were well below it. On the year before, drugs rose from 20 to 37 and anti-social behaviour rose from 84 to 119, while shoplifting fell from 132 to 92 and public order fell from 106 to 85.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 399 | 25.0 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 119 | 7.4 | 15.4 | +42% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 98 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Shoplifting | 92 | 5.8 | 8.5 | -30% |
| Public order | 85 | 5.3 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Other theft | 55 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -13% |
| Drugs | 37 | 2.3 | 3.3 | +85% |
| Burglary | 33 | 2.1 | 3.6 | +18% |
| Vehicle crime | 31 | 1.9 | 5.0 | -9% |
| Other crime | 17 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Petersfield; the highest is Bordon (67.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Four Marks (26.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Petersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liss | 235 | 36.1 | -43% |
| Horndean | 1,687 | 50.0 | -21% |
| Liphook | 401 | 48.4 | -23% |
| Bordon | 713 | 67.3 | +6% |
| Midhurst | 240 | 43.7 | -31% |
| Four Marks | 154 | 26.0 | -59% |
| Denmead | 192 | 36.7 | -42% |
| Headley Down and Headley | 220 | 39.2 | -38% |
Of the 4 areas within Petersfield, Petersfield Causeway had the highest crime rate (75.2 per 1,000) and Petersfield Heath the lowest (28.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersfield Causeway | Neighbourhood | 3,818 | 287 | 75.2 |
| Petersfield St Peter's | Neighbourhood | 7,462 | 529 | 70.9 |
| Petersfield Bell Hill | Neighbourhood | 2,413 | 129 | 53.5 |
| Petersfield Heath | Neighbourhood | 2,284 | 65 | 28.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Petersfield over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (86).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 86 |
| On or near The Square | 52 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 49 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 44 |
| On or near Supermarket | 39 |
| On or near Goodyer Close | 34 |
| On or near Borough Grove | 32 |
| On or near Dukes Close | 31 |
| On or near Lavant Street | 22 |
| On or near Readon Close | 22 |
Of the 891 crimes in Petersfield with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 119 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 334 | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 298 | 33.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 93 | 10.4% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 49 | 5.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Petersfield has an estimated population of 15,977 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (26%, against 19%), fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Petersfield average decile 8.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Petersfield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Petersfield a safe place to live?
Petersfield recorded 63.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 898th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Petersfield?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 399 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (119).
Is crime in Petersfield going up or down?
Recorded crime in Petersfield was down 2% on the year before: 1,010 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,033 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Petersfield?
About 15,977 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Petersfield?
Petersfield is policed by Hampshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.