Crime in Preston
Recorded crime in Preston is 1.3 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 10%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
162,864 residents in 87 neighbourhoods. 1% live in busy town or city centres.
- Safety
- 2/10High crime
- Living
- 6.5/10Good
- 5-year change
- −10%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 10% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Preston, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.3× the England and Wales average. 103 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 62% of the harm here
- Burglary: 16% of the harm here
- Robbery: 6% 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 | 1.2 |
| Burglary | 7.1 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 41.8 |
| Drugs | 2.6 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.2 |
| Other crime | 2.2 |
| Other theft | 9.5 |
| Theft from the person | 1.0 |
| Vehicle crime | 6.7 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 12.2 |
| Public order | 7.6 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.6 |
| Shoplifting | 7.8 |
Towns and cities in Preston
Postcode districts in Preston
Questions about crime in Preston
- Is Preston a safe place to live?
- Preston 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 Preston?
- Down 10% over 5 years, from 18,162 recorded crimes a year to 16,277.
- What is the most common crime in Preston?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 42 per 1,000 residents a year.