Crime in Wincanton: statistics, rates and trends
583 crimes were recorded in Wincanton in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wincanton at a glance
- Crime trends in Wincanton
- Types of crime in Wincanton
- Wincanton compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Wincanton
- Streets with the most crime in Wincanton
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wincanton
- Demographics of Wincanton
- Questions about crime in Wincanton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (264), anti-social behaviour (70) and shoplifting (62) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 484th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Wincanton | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 583 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.0 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 6,548 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wincanton peaked in the year to August 2024 (660 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (437). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 583 | 89.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 607 | 92.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 660 | 100.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 483 | 73.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 512 | 78.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 470 | 71.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 495 | 75.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 437 | 66.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 504 | 77.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 29 |
| July 2026 | 64 |
| June 2026 | 49 |
| May 2026 | 37 |
| April 2026 | 43 |
| March 2026 | 75 |
| February 2026 | 48 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 46 |
| November 2025 | 36 |
| October 2025 | 56 |
| September 2025 | 49 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (30% below) was well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 35 to 41 and violence and sexual offences rose from 228 to 264, while shoplifting fell from 99 to 62 and anti-social behaviour fell from 92 to 70.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 264 | 40.3 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 70 | 10.7 | 15.4 | -24% |
| Shoplifting | 62 | 9.5 | 8.5 | -37% |
| Public order | 46 | 7.0 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 41 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Other theft | 39 | 6.0 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Other crime | 19 | 2.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 10 | 1.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Wincanton; the highest is Yeovil (119.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Gillingham (Dorset) (46.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wincanton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham (Dorset) | 539 | 46.1 | -48% |
| Sherborne | 667 | 61.0 | -31% |
| Shaftesbury | 682 | 72.6 | -18% |
| Shepton Mallet | 949 | 89.8 | +1% |
| Yeovil | 6,211 | 119.7 | +34% |
| Frome | 2,887 | 99.5 | +12% |
| Warminster | 1,282 | 68.4 | -23% |
| Somerton | 388 | 58.5 | -34% |
Wincanton & Bruton is the one area listed within Wincanton, with 77.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wincanton & Bruton | Neighbourhood | 11,634 | 903 | 77.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Wincanton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Merlin Grove” (75).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Merlin Grove | 75 |
| On or near Crocker Way | 53 |
| On or near Greyhound Close | 41 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 38 |
| On or near Penn View | 32 |
| On or near Crofts Mead | 29 |
| On or near Firehouse Mews | 26 |
| On or near Maunder Close | 14 |
| On or near Supermarket | 14 |
| On or near Atkins Hill | 12 |
Of the 513 crimes in Wincanton with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 70 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 226 | 44.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 179 | 34.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 28 | 5.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 26 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 2.7% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 14 | 2.7% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 1.4% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
Wincanton has an estimated population of 6,548 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wincanton average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Wincanton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wincanton a safe place to live?
Wincanton recorded 89.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 484th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Wincanton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 264 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (70).
Is crime in Wincanton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wincanton was down 4% on the year before: 583 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 607 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wincanton?
About 6,548 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wincanton?
Wincanton is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.