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

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Crime in Verwood Compared To Dorset

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Summary of Crimes in Verwood This Year

 VerwoodDorset 
CrimeCountRateCountRateRate Difference
Anti-Social Behaviour25416.7825,48132.9496% safer
Bicycle Theft30.201,1631.50650% safer
Burglary432.842,9163.7733% safer
Criminal Damage and Arson956.286,2258.0528% safer
Drugs110.731,1991.55112% safer
Other Crime40.265350.69165% safer
Other Theft523.444,1485.3656% safer
Possession of Weapons20.133080.40208% safer
Public Order342.253,1584.0881% safer
Shoplifting40.262,6263.391204% safer
Theft From the Person20.133300.43231% safer
Vehicle Crime352.313,6634.73105% safer
Violence and Sexual Offences23215.3320,04125.9069% safer

Verwood Compared to Nearby Small Towns

Small TownTotal CrimesCrime RateRate Difference
Lytchett Minster and Upton17820.4667% safer
Corfe Mullen22822.3153% safer
West Moors17623.0948% safer
Verwood51734.16-
Swanage36036.677% more dangerous
Ferndown Town73739.0513% more dangerous
Sherborne42743.1621% more dangerous
Gillingham52443.6122% more dangerous
Shaftesbury41846.7827% more dangerous

Crime Over Time in Verwood

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Recent Crimes in Verwood

DateCrime TypeLocationOutcome
November 2021BurglaryOn or near Pine WalkInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021BurglaryOn or near Burn CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near The ChaseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021BurglaryOn or near Juniper CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Copse RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Sports/Recreation AreaInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Sports/Recreation AreaInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Monmouth DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near Monmouth DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Bingham DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Vicarage RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021BurglaryOn or near BrockwayInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near HospitalUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near HospitalUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021BurglaryOn or near Blackthorn WayInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Parking AreaInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Burnbake RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Church RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Other crimeOn or near Chiltern DriveInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Bingham RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified

Verwood Crime Trends

 Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents 
Crime2017201820192020Trend
Anti-Social Behaviour17121017Getting worse
Bicycle Theft0.530.400.260.20Safer
Burglary3.24.03.92.8Safer
Criminal Damage and Arson6666Getting worse
Drugs0.460.330.330.73Getting worse
Other Crime0.200.590.460.26Safer
Other Theft5.03.863.4Safer
Possession of Weapons0.130.130.260.13Safer
Public Order1.92.22.22.2Getting worse
Shoplifting1.81.31.10.26Safer
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)0.200.200.070.13Safer
Vehicle Crime2.21.82.12.3Getting worse
Violence and Sexual Offences10131615Getting worse

Changes In Verwood's Crime Rates Over Time

Comparing Verwood to the UK's Major Cities

Small TownCrime RateRate Difference
Verwood34.16-
Barnet67.7150% more dangerous
Coventry77.4156% more dangerous
Croydon83.2259% more dangerous
Sheffield85.8160% more dangerous
Bristol86.2160% more dangerous
Leicester97.4465% more dangerous
Birmingham102.8767% more dangerous
Liverpool107.2868% more dangerous
Bradford133.0274% more dangerous
Leeds137.1075% more dangerous

Crime in Verwood's Neighbourhoods

NeighbourhoodCrime CountCrime RateDanger Rank
East Verwood21229Second
West Verwood30540First

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.

CrimeMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
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: 31 Dec 2021