Crime in Wimborne Minster: statistics, rates and trends
972 crimes were recorded in Wimborne Minster in the 12 months to August 2026, 60.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wimborne Minster at a glance
- Crime trends in Wimborne Minster
- Types of crime in Wimborne Minster
- Wimborne Minster compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Wimborne Minster
- Streets with the most crime in Wimborne Minster
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wimborne Minster
- Demographics of Wimborne Minster
- Questions about crime in Wimborne Minster
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (355), anti-social behaviour (271) and shoplifting (85) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 941st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Wimborne Minster | Dorset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 972 | 21,072 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 60.8 | 54.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 15,977 | 389,947 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wimborne Minster peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,244 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (876). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 972 | 60.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,073 | 67.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 876 | 54.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 905 | 56.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,072 | 67.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 995 | 62.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,120 | 70.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,026 | 64.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,244 | 77.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 119 |
| July 2026 | 121 |
| June 2026 | 87 |
| May 2026 | 61 |
| April 2026 | 79 |
| March 2026 | 72 |
| February 2026 | 83 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 56 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 71 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (70% below) and public order (61% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting fell from 163 to 85 and vehicle crime fell from 39 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 355 | 22.2 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 271 | 17.0 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 85 | 5.3 | 8.5 | -48% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 74 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Other theft | 43 | 2.7 | 6.4 | -22% |
| Public order | 41 | 2.6 | 6.7 | -33% |
| Burglary | 29 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 1.5 | 5.0 | -38% |
| Drugs | 16 | 1.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Wimborne Minster; the highest is Poole (74.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Merley (27.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wimborne Minster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merley | 167 | 27.4 | -55% |
| Bearwood | 302 | 59.5 | -2% |
| Corfe Mullen | 393 | 36.8 | -40% |
| Ferndown | 545 | 39.6 | -35% |
| West Moors | 448 | 42.8 | -30% |
| Poole | 10,739 | 74.0 | +22% |
| Upton (Dorset) | 366 | 41.8 | -31% |
| Ashley Heath | 319 | 39.2 | -36% |
Of the 2 areas within Wimborne Minster, Wimborne Minster had the highest crime rate (81.2 per 1,000) and Colehill & Wimborne Minster East the lowest (25.2), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wimborne Minster | Neighbourhood | 11,156 | 906 | 81.2 |
| Colehill & Wimborne Minster East | Neighbourhood | 7,130 | 180 | 25.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Wimborne Minster over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Eden Grove” (45).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Eden Grove | 45 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 38 |
| On or near Wimborne Road | 34 |
| On or near Ainsley Road | 32 |
| On or near Supermarket | 29 |
| On or near Ryan Way | 28 |
| On or near Newmans Close | 26 |
| On or near Parking Area | 26 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 26 |
| On or near Church Street | 24 |
Of the 701 crimes in Wimborne Minster with a recorded outcome, 32% 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 271 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 292 | 41.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 224 | 32.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 84 | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 14 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Wimborne Minster has an estimated population of 15,977 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (33%, against 22%), an older population (28%, against 19%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wimborne Minster average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Wimborne Minster | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 28.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wimborne Minster a safe place to live?
Wimborne Minster recorded 60.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 941st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Wimborne Minster?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 355 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (271).
Is crime in Wimborne Minster going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wimborne Minster was down 9% on the year before: 972 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,073 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wimborne Minster?
About 15,977 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 28% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wimborne Minster?
Wimborne Minster 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.