Crime in Dorset

Dorset Crime

Dorset, known for its stunning countryside and large towns, has become a hotspot for tourists. But with crime on the rise in the UK, is the city really safe?

According to Crimerate in 2023 Dorset had over 61 crimes reported per 1,000 people. Some of the most popular crimes were anti-social behaviour crimes, violent crimes, and criminal damage crimes. In 2023 anti-social behaviour crimes had a crime count of 15,102, criminal damage crimes were reported over 5,164 times, and violent crimes were committed over 20,906 times.

Dorset itself is made up of several towns, so to get a better of what Dorset crime is really like. We’ve decided to take a closer look at the crime rates for each area.

Take a look:

1. Crime In Bournemouth
2. Crime In Poole
3. Crime In Christchurch
4. Crime In Dorchester
5. Crime In Weymouth

Crime In Bournemouth

According to Crimerate, Bournemouth is Dorset’s most dangerous city. In 2023, Bournemouth had an overall crime rate of 83 crimes committed per 1,000 people. This is 36% higher than Dorset’s own crime rate.

The most common crime in Bournemouth is violence and sexual offences. Last year, these types of crimes were committed over 11,551 times and had an average crime rate of 35.

The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Bournemouth are listed in the table below:

Crime In Poole

According to Crimerate, Poole is among the top ten most dangerous areas within Dorset. In 2023, Poole had an overall crime rate of 71 crimes. This is notably higher than Dorset’s overall crime rate, which stands at 61 per 1,000 daytime population, making it 16% above the Dorset average.

The most common crime in Poole is violence and sexual offences crimes. During 2023, violent crimes were reported over 3,924 times and had a crime rate of 30 crimes per 1,000 people. Compared to the previous year, violent crimes rose by 6%.

The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Poole are listed in the table below:

Crime In Christchurch

According to Crimerate, Christchurch is a relatively safe area in Dorset. Last year, Christchurch had an overall crime rate of 64 crimes committed per 1,000 people. When it was compared to Dorset’s own crime rate, it was 5% higher.

The most popular crime in Christchurch is violent and sexual offences crimes. During 2023, violent incidents were committed 720 times, making it have a crime rate of 25. Compared to the previous year, violent crimes decreased by 3.7%.

The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Christchurch are listed in the table below:

Crime In Dorchester

According to Crimerate, Dorchester is ranked as one of the top ten safest towns in Dorset. Last year, Dorchester had an overall crime rate of 53 crimes committed per 1,000 people. Compared to Dorset’s own crime rate, Dorchester was 13% lower.

Violence and sexual offences are Dorchester’s most frequent offences. Last year, these types of crimes were committed over 551 times and had a crime rate of 20.

The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Dorchester are listed in the table below:

Crime In Weymouth

According to Crimerate, Weymouth is among the top five most dangerous places in the whole of Dorset. Last year, Weymouth had an average crime rate of 88 crimes per 1,000 people. This was 45% higher than Dorset’s own crime rate.

Violent crimes are Weymouth’s biggest offender. During 2023, these types of crimes were reported over 2,157 times – making it have a crime rate of 48.

The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Weymouth are listed in the table below:

Crime in the South West is increasing, check our other articles to find out what the crime is in Cornwall and whether Bournemouth is a safe place to live. Or head over to our news page so that you can keep up to date with the latest South West news.