Crime in Preston (Preston): statistics, rates and trends
15,909 crimes were recorded in Preston (Preston) in the 12 months to August 2026, 160.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Preston (Preston) at a glance
- Crime trends in Preston (Preston)
- Types of crime in Preston (Preston)
- Preston (Preston) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Preston (Preston)
- Streets with the most crime in Preston (Preston)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Preston (Preston)
- Demographics of Preston (Preston)
- Questions about crime in Preston (Preston)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (5,473), anti-social behaviour (3,522) and criminal damage and arson (1,239) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 40th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Preston (Preston) | Preston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 15,909 | 20,756 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 160.6 | 127.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 99,076 | 162,864 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Preston (Preston) of any year here (15,909 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 15,909 | 160.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 17,413 | 175.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 17,818 | 179.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 18,765 | 189.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 20,971 | 211.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 21,159 | 213.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 21,057 | 212.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 20,773 | 209.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 22,042 | 222.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,406 |
| July 2026 | 1,356 |
| June 2026 | 1,335 |
| May 2026 | 1,340 |
| April 2026 | 1,237 |
| March 2026 | 1,335 |
| February 2026 | 1,135 |
| January 2026 | 1,236 |
| December 2025 | 1,331 |
| November 2025 | 1,283 |
| October 2025 | 1,476 |
| September 2025 | 1,439 |
Compared with England and Wales, Preston (Preston) recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (2.3 times the national rate), possession of weapons (2.3 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (42% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 487 to 586 and theft from the person rose from 82 to 97, while anti-social behaviour fell from 5,434 to 3,522.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 5,473 | 55.2 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,522 | 35.5 | 15.4 | -35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,239 | 12.5 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 1,164 | 11.7 | 8.5 | -7% |
| Public order | 927 | 9.4 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 886 | 8.9 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 651 | 6.6 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Drugs | 586 | 5.9 | 3.3 | +20% |
| Burglary | 420 | 4.2 | 3.6 | -15% |
| Other crime | 372 | 3.8 | 2.1 | +1% |
| Possession of weapons | 217 | 2.2 | 1.0 | +5% |
| Robbery | 185 | 1.9 | 1.4 | -8% |
| Bicycle theft | 170 | 1.7 | 0.8 | -6% |
| Theft from the person | 97 | 1.0 | 1.7 | +18% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Preston (Preston) has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Preston (Preston) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulwood | 2,656 | 77.2 | -52% |
| Penwortham | 1,130 | 62.8 | -61% |
| Cottam (Preston) | 509 | 52.7 | -67% |
| Bamber Bridge | 3,825 | 91.9 | -43% |
| Longton | 365 | 31.9 | -80% |
| Leyland | 3,668 | 90.0 | -44% |
| Longridge (Ribble Valley) | 630 | 66.4 | -59% |
| Euxton | 845 | 50.4 | -69% |
Of the 9 areas within Preston (Preston), City Centre had the highest crime rate (409.4 per 1,000) and Lea & Larches the lowest (93.8), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Centre | Neighbourhood | 12,936 | 5,296 | 409.4 |
| St Matthew's | Neighbourhood | 12,333 | 2,116 | 171.6 |
| Plungington | Neighbourhood | 12,115 | 1,711 | 141.2 |
| Ashton | Neighbourhood | 10,228 | 1,372 | 134.1 |
| Ribbleton | Neighbourhood | 8,583 | 1,125 | 131.1 |
| Deepdale | Neighbourhood | 10,440 | 1,341 | 128.4 |
| Brookfield | Neighbourhood | 9,800 | 1,255 | 128.1 |
| Fishwick & Frenchwood | Neighbourhood | 9,896 | 1,152 | 116.4 |
| Lea & Larches | Neighbourhood | 8,336 | 782 | 93.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 19% of the crime recorded in Preston (Preston) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nightclub” (811).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nightclub | 811 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 457 |
| On or near Supermarket | 439 |
| On or near Parking Area | 421 |
| On or near Market Street | 246 |
| On or near Grafton Road | 162 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 127 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 120 |
| On or near Cheapside | 118 |
| On or near Singleton Row | 107 |
Of the 12,387 crimes in Preston (Preston) with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 3,522 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 4,160 | 33.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,780 | 30.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,391 | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 758 | 6.1% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 721 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 596 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 491 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 259 | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 87 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 60 | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 49 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 25 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Preston (Preston) has an estimated population of 99,076 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (16.2%, against 7.9%), more households without a car (35%, against 23%) and a younger population (11%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Preston (Preston) average decile 2.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Preston (Preston) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 16.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 35.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 27.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Preston (Preston) a safe place to live?
Preston (Preston) recorded 160.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 40th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Preston (Preston)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 5,473 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (3,522).
Is crime in Preston (Preston) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Preston (Preston) was down 9% on the year before: 15,909 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 17,413 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Preston (Preston)?
About 99,076 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Preston (Preston)?
Preston (Preston) 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.