Verwood Crime Overview
Verwood is among the top 5 safest small towns in Dorset, and is the 79th most dangerous overall out of Dorset's 274 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Verwood in 2020 was 34 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Dorset's overall crime rate, coming in 77% lower than the Dorset rate of 60 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Verwood is the 165th safest small town, and the 5,581st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2020, Verwood was the worst small town in Dorset for burglary, with 8 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.53 per 1,000 inhabitants. July 2020 was also a bad month for Verwood residents, when it was Dorset's most dangerous small town for criminal damage and arson, recording 18 crimes at a rate of 1.2 per 1,000 residents. Verwood recorded 7 reports of other theft during June 2020, making its crime rate of 0.46 the worst small town for other theft in Dorset that month.
The most common crimes in Verwood are violence and sexual offences, with 232 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 15. This is 2.6% lower than 2019's figure of 238 offences and a difference of 0.40 from 2019's crime rate of 16. Verwood's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 100% from 2019's figure of 4 crimes.
Compare Verwood to other towns and cities
See how Verwood shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Verwood and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Verwood Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Verwood This Year
| Verwood | Dorset | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 254 | 16.78 | 25,481 | 32.94 | 96% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 3 | 0.20 | 1,163 | 1.50 | 650% safer |
| Burglary | 43 | 2.84 | 2,916 | 3.77 | 33% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 95 | 6.28 | 6,225 | 8.05 | 28% safer |
| Drugs | 11 | 0.73 | 1,199 | 1.55 | 112% safer |
| Other Crime | 4 | 0.26 | 535 | 0.69 | 165% safer |
| Other Theft | 52 | 3.44 | 4,148 | 5.36 | 56% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 2 | 0.13 | 308 | 0.40 | 208% safer |
| Public Order | 34 | 2.25 | 3,158 | 4.08 | 81% safer |
| Shoplifting | 4 | 0.26 | 2,626 | 3.39 | 1204% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2 | 0.13 | 330 | 0.43 | 231% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 35 | 2.31 | 3,663 | 4.73 | 105% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 232 | 15.33 | 20,041 | 25.90 | 69% safer |
Crime in Verwood Compared To Dorset
Verwood Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lytchett Minster and Upton | 178 | 20.46 | 67% safer |
| Corfe Mullen | 228 | 22.31 | 53% safer |
| West Moors | 176 | 23.09 | 48% safer |
| Verwood | 517 | 34.16 | - |
| Swanage | 360 | 36.67 | 7% more dangerous |
| Ferndown Town | 737 | 39.05 | 13% more dangerous |
| Sherborne | 427 | 43.16 | 21% more dangerous |
| Gillingham | 524 | 43.61 | 22% more dangerous |
| Shaftesbury | 418 | 46.78 | 27% more dangerous |
Verwood Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 17 | 12 | 10 | 17 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.53 | 0.40 | 0.26 | 0.20 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 0.46 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.73 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.20 | 0.59 | 0.46 | 0.26 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 5.0 | 3.8 | 6 | 3.4 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.26 | 0.13 | Safer |
| Public Order | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.26 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.07 | 0.13 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.3 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 10 | 13 | 16 | 15 | Getting worse |
Changes In Verwood's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Verwood to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Verwood | 34.16 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 50% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 56% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 59% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 60% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 60% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 65% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 67% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 68% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 74% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 75% more dangerous |
Crime in Verwood's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Verwood | 212 | 29 | Second |
| West Verwood | 305 | 40 | First |
Crime in Verwood During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Verwood change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in November, when Verwood saw a 300% increase in burglary. Verwood saw a large fall in burglary during June, when it fell by 92% compared to June in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +73% | +83% | +92% | +136% | +100% | +118% | +8% | +90% | +109% | +100% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | - | -25% | -50% | -92% | -40% | -88% | -25% | -71% | +300% | +50% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | - | -63% | +10% | +10% | +200% | -17% | - | - | +33% | +25% |
| Drugs | +100% | - | - | - | - | +200% | - | - | - | - |
| Other Theft | -44% | -71% | -50% | +133% | -70% | -67% | -77% | -25% | - | +50% |
| Public Order | +150% | -33% | +100% | -83% | -50% | +33% | -50% | -40% | +200% | +100% |
| Shoplifting | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -40% | -83% | - | +100% | +250% | +100% | -80% | - | +100% | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -9% | -22% | +73% | -17% | -21% | +127% | +20% | -18% | -44% | -23% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Verwood
What police force serves Verwood?
Verwood's local territorial police force is the Dorset Police.How dangerous is Verwood?
Verwood is among the top 5 safest small towns in Dorset.What is Verwood's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Verwood are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Verwood?
Verwood's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021