Crime in Burnley
Recorded crime in Burnley is 1.4 times the England and Wales average. It is about the same as 5 years ago. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
99,233 residents in 60 neighbourhoods. 2% live in busy town or city centres.
- Safety
- 2/10High crime
- Living
- 7.4/10Good
- 5-year change
- 0%about the same
Crime over 5 years
About the same as 5 years ago Recorded crimes in Burnley, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.4× the England and Wales average. 106 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 62% of the harm here
- Burglary: 20% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 62% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 48 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.8 |
| Burglary | 8.9 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 44.1 |
| Drugs | 2.2 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.9 |
| Other crime | 2.5 |
| Other theft | 9.1 |
| Theft from the person | 0.7 |
| Vehicle crime | 6.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 13.3 |
| Public order | 7.3 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.7 |
| Shoplifting | 8.4 |
Towns and cities in Burnley
Postcode districts in Burnley
Questions about crime in Burnley
- Is Burnley a safe place to live?
- Burnley scores 2 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Burnley?
- About the same as 5 years ago: 11,310 recorded crimes a year then, 11,260 now.
- What is the most common crime in Burnley?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 44 per 1,000 residents a year.