Crap Towns / Swanage / Crime

How much crime is there in Swanage?

The police recorded 41.2 crimes per 1,000 people a year in Swanage from September 2023 to August 2026, 46% lower than the typical town's 76.2. The most common was violence and sexual offences, at 21.0. In the 12 months to August 2026 it was 38.3, down from 47.5 in the 12 months to August 2024.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
September 2023 to August 2024	47.5	78.6
September 2024 to August 2025	37.8	77.4
September 2025 to August 2026	38.3	73.7

**By type**
Crime	Here	Typical town
Violence and sexual offences	21.0	34.1
Criminal damage and arson	4.7	7.0
Shoplifting	3.7	7.1
Other theft	3.3	5.4
Public order	3.0	6.6
Burglary	2.1	3.1
Vehicle crime	1.4	3.8
Other crime	0.8	2.0
Drugs	0.6	2.4
Theft from the person	0.3	0.4
Possession of weapons	0.2	0.8
Bicycle theft	0.2	0.5
Robbery	0.2	0.6

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Crimes per 1,000 people a year
Bournemouth	15.6 km	86.3
Poole	12.5 km	58.5
Wareham	13.4 km	47.8
Wimborne Minster	21.2 km	47.2
Christchurch	21.1 km	42.3
Upton	14.3 km	42.0
Swanage	–	41.2
Wool	21.4 km	32.6
Ferndown	21.7 km	31.1
Corfe Mullen	17.2 km	25.9
Merley	18.6 km	16.3
The typical town	–	76.2