Crime in Ventnor: statistics, rates and trends
473 crimes were recorded in Ventnor in the 12 months to August 2026, 88.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (198), anti-social behaviour (62) and public order (56) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 496th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ventnor | Isle of Wight | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 473 | 11,831 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 88.0 | 83.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 5,373 | 141,660 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ventnor of any year here (473 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 473 | 88.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 539 | 100.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 497 | 92.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 497 | 92.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 662 | 123.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 567 | 105.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 526 | 97.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 515 | 95.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 546 | 101.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 38 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 36 |
| May 2026 | 35 |
| April 2026 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 39 |
| February 2026 | 27 |
| January 2026 | 25 |
| December 2025 | 50 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 55 |
| September 2025 | 39 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ventnor recorded notably more public order (56% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (39% below) and shoplifting (32% below). On the year before, public order rose from 48 to 56, while shoplifting fell from 67 to 31 and other theft fell from 36 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 198 | 36.9 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 62 | 11.5 | 15.4 | -16% |
| Public order | 56 | 10.4 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 40 | 7.4 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 31 | 5.8 | 8.5 | -54% |
| Other theft | 21 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -42% |
| Burglary | 20 | 3.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 16 | 3.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ventnor; the highest is Newport (Isle of Wight) (125.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Cowes (51.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ventnor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanklin | 835 | 91.9 | +4% |
| Sandown | 1,427 | 116.0 | +32% |
| Newport (Isle of Wight) | 3,320 | 125.6 | +43% |
| Ryde | 2,246 | 93.6 | +6% |
| East Cowes | 654 | 70.4 | -20% |
| Cowes | 766 | 51.2 | -42% |
| Gosport | 5,937 | 85.8 | -3% |
| Freshwater and Totland | 488 | 55.8 | -37% |
Ventnor & St Lawrence is the one area listed within Ventnor, with 92.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventnor & St Lawrence | Neighbourhood | 3,966 | 367 | 92.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Ventnor over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (67).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 67 |
| On or near Parking Area | 48 |
| On or near Pound Lane | 30 |
| On or near Shore Hill | 25 |
| On or near Lowtherville Road | 18 |
| On or near High Street | 14 |
| On or near Rayners | 13 |
| On or near St Boniface Road | 12 |
| On or near Bonchurch Shute | 11 |
| On or near Gloucester Road | 11 |
Of the 411 crimes in Ventnor with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 62 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 180 | 43.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 100 | 24.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 33 | 8.0% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 28 | 6.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 25 | 6.1% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 23 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 7 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Ventnor has an estimated population of 5,373 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (35%, against 19%), more retired residents (37%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ventnor average decile 2.7 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ventnor | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 34.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 43.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.7 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 25.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ventnor a safe place to live?
Ventnor recorded 88.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 496th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Ventnor?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 198 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (62).
Is crime in Ventnor going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ventnor was down 12% on the year before: 473 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 539 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ventnor?
About 5,373 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 35% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ventnor?
Ventnor 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.