Crime in Darwen
Recorded crime in Darwen is 1.1 times the Blackburn with Darwen average and 1.2 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 12%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Darwen: about 22,110 residents in 20 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 3/10Above average crime
- Living
- 7.7/10Good
- 5-year change
- −12%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.1×the Blackburn with Darwen average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Darwen.
Crime over 5 years
Down 12% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Darwen, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the Blackburn with Darwen average (1.2× the England and Wales average). 90 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 67% of the harm here
- Burglary: 18% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 67% 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: 42 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 | 0.5 |
| Burglary | 7.1 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 42.1 |
| Drugs | 1.6 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.9 |
| Other crime | 2.0 |
| Other theft | 6.7 |
| Theft from the person | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime | 6.5 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 11.0 |
| Public order | 6.0 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 4.7 |
Postcode districts in Darwen
Nearby towns
Council: Blackburn with Darwen
Questions about crime in Darwen
- Is Darwen a safe place to live?
- Darwen scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.1 times the Blackburn with Darwen average.
- Is crime going up or down in Darwen?
- Down 12% over 5 years, from 2,109 recorded crimes a year to 1,859.
- What is the most common crime in Darwen?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 42 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Darwen compare with Blackburn with Darwen?
- Crime severity in Darwen is 1.1 times the Blackburn with Darwen average.