Crime in Shaftesbury: statistics, rates and trends
682 crimes were recorded in Shaftesbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shaftesbury at a glance
- Crime trends in Shaftesbury
- Types of crime in Shaftesbury
- Shaftesbury compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Shaftesbury
- Streets with the most crime in Shaftesbury
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shaftesbury
- Demographics of Shaftesbury
- Questions about crime in Shaftesbury
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (204), anti-social behaviour (183) and shoplifting (80) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 730th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Shaftesbury | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 682 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.6 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 9,389 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shaftesbury peaked in the year to August 2019 (761 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (532). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it was almost unchanged, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 682 | 72.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 707 | 75.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 532 | 56.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 676 | 72.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 653 | 69.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 602 | 64.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 681 | 72.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 761 | 81.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 681 | 72.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 60 |
| July 2026 | 86 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 65 |
| April 2026 | 51 |
| March 2026 | 59 |
| February 2026 | 57 |
| January 2026 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 40 |
| October 2025 | 44 |
| September 2025 | 54 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shaftesbury recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (27% above the national rate), and notably less public order (55% below) and violence and sexual offences (37% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 39 to 80 and other theft rose from 31 to 42, while vehicle crime fell from 56 to 34 and criminal damage and arson fell from 85 to 52.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 204 | 21.7 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 183 | 19.5 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 80 | 8.5 | 8.5 | +105% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 52 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -39% |
| Other theft | 42 | 4.5 | 6.4 | +35% |
| Vehicle crime | 34 | 3.6 | 5.0 | -39% |
| Burglary | 28 | 3.0 | 3.6 | -10% |
| Public order | 28 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -28% |
| Drugs | 11 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Shaftesbury; the highest is Frome (99.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Verwood (35.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shaftesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham (Dorset) | 539 | 46.1 | -37% |
| Wincanton | 583 | 89.0 | +23% |
| Blandford Forum | 800 | 58.0 | -20% |
| Warminster | 1,282 | 68.4 | -6% |
| Sherborne | 667 | 61.0 | -16% |
| Frome | 2,887 | 99.5 | +37% |
| Verwood | 508 | 35.5 | -51% |
| Wimborne Minster | 972 | 60.8 | -16% |
Shaftesbury Town is the one area listed within Shaftesbury, with 72.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaftesbury Town | Neighbourhood | 9,389 | 682 | 72.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Shaftesbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (43).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 43 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 36 |
| On or near Fountain Mead | 27 |
| On or near Border Close | 24 |
| On or near Mampitts Lane | 22 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 21 |
| On or near Kingsbere Lane | 20 |
| On or near Coles Crescent | 18 |
| On or near Parking Area | 17 |
| On or near Nettlecombe | 15 |
Of the 499 crimes in Shaftesbury with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 183 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 170 | 34.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 155 | 31.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 61 | 12.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 20 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 3.6% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Shaftesbury has an estimated population of 9,389 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%), fewer students (5.2%, against 7.9%) and an older population (25%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shaftesbury average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Shaftesbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shaftesbury a safe place to live?
Shaftesbury recorded 72.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 730th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Shaftesbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 204 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (183).
Is crime in Shaftesbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shaftesbury was down 4% on the year before: 682 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 707 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shaftesbury?
About 9,389 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shaftesbury?
Shaftesbury is policed by Dorset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.