Crime in Shaftesbury
Recorded crime in Shaftesbury is 1.1 times the Dorset average and 0.6 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 2%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Shaftesbury: about 9,367 residents in 8 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 6/10Average crime
- Living
- 5.3/10Fair
- 5-year change
- +2%more crimes
- vs the council
- 1.1×the Dorset average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Shaftesbury.
Crime over 5 years
Up 2% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Shaftesbury, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the Dorset average (0.6× the England and Wales average). 49 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 65% of the harm here
- Burglary: 16% of the harm here
- Other theft: 6% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 65% 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: 19 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 | 0.3 |
| Burglary | 3.3 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 20.7 |
| Drugs | 1.1 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.2 |
| Other crime | 1.0 |
| Other theft | 5.6 |
| Theft from the person | 0.2 |
| Vehicle crime | 3.2 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 7.0 |
| Public order | 2.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 3.7 |
Postcode districts in Shaftesbury
Nearby towns
Council: Dorset
Questions about crime in Shaftesbury
- Is Shaftesbury a safe place to live?
- Shaftesbury scores 6 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.1 times the Dorset average.
- Is crime going up or down in Shaftesbury?
- Up 2% over 5 years, from 478 recorded crimes a year to 487.
- What is the most common crime in Shaftesbury?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 21 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Shaftesbury compare with Dorset?
- Crime severity in Shaftesbury is 1.1 times the Dorset average.