Weymouth Crime Overview
Weymouth is the most dangerous medium-sized town in Dorset, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Dorset's 274 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Weymouth in 2020 was 66 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Dorset's overall crime rate, coming in 8% higher than the Dorset rate of 60 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Weymouth is the 81st safest medium-sized town, and the 1,700th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Weymouth was the worst medium-sized town in Dorset for criminal damage and arson, with 42 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.76 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Weymouth residents, when it was Dorset's most dangerous medium-sized town for drugs, recording 8 crimes at a rate of 0.14 per 1,000 residents. Weymouth recorded 2 reports of bicycle theft during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.04 the worst medium-sized town for bicycle theft in Dorset that month.
The most common crimes in Weymouth are violence and sexual offences, with 1,836 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 33. This is 13% lower than 2019's figure of 2,069 offences and a difference of 4.22 from 2019's crime rate of 37. Weymouth's least common crime is robbery, with 24 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 67% from 2019's figure of 40 crimes.
Compare Weymouth to other towns and cities
See how Weymouth shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Weymouth and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Weymouth Crime Map
Crime in Weymouth Compared To Dorset
Summary of Crimes in Weymouth This Year
| Weymouth | Dorset | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,797 | 50.60 | 25,481 | 32.94 | 35% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 25 | 0.45 | 1,163 | 1.50 | 233% safer |
| Burglary | 136 | 2.46 | 2,916 | 3.77 | 53% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 535 | 9.68 | 6,225 | 8.05 | 17% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 160 | 2.89 | 1,199 | 1.55 | 46% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 46 | 0.83 | 535 | 0.69 | 17% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 298 | 5.39 | 4,148 | 5.36 | 0.56% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 33 | 0.60 | 308 | 0.40 | 33% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 286 | 5.17 | 3,158 | 4.08 | 21% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 24 | 0.43 | 360 | 0.47 | 9% safer |
| Shoplifting | 103 | 1.86 | 2,626 | 3.39 | 82% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 29 | 0.52 | 330 | 0.43 | 17% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 115 | 2.08 | 3,663 | 4.73 | 127% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,836 | 33.21 | 20,041 | 25.90 | 22% more dangerous |
Weymouth Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch | 2,313 | 40.97 | 60% safer |
| Weymouth | 3,626 | 65.59 | - |
Crime Over Time in Weymouth
View crime percentage over time forWeymouth Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 56 | 50 | 41 | 51 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.45 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 11 | 11 | 12 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 0.45 | 0.90 | 0.81 | 0.83 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 7 | 5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.83 | 0.76 | 0.69 | 0.60 | Safer |
| Public Order | 3.0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.65 | 0.85 | 0.72 | 0.43 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 7 | 4.2 | 1.9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 0.69 | 0.71 | 0.52 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 27 | 36 | 37 | 33 | Safer |
Changes In Weymouth's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Weymouth to the UK's Major Cities
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Weymouth | 65.59 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 3.1% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 15% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 21% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 24% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 24% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 33% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 36% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 39% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 51% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 52% more dangerous |
Crime in Weymouth's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwey & Littlemoor | 442 | 59 | Fourth |
| Westham North & Radipole | 574 | 66 | Second |
| Westham South | 481 | 64 | Third |
| Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell | 1,411 | 144 | First |
| Weymouth West | 217 | 42 | Sixth |
| Wyke Regis | 280 | 50 | Fifth |
Weymouth Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Weymouth for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Weymouth West (111) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (1,456) |
| Bicycle Theft | Broadwey & Littlemoor (1) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (13) |
| Burglary | Wyke Regis (4) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (51) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Westham North & Radipole (57) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (233) |
| Drugs | Weymouth West (4) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (68) |
| Other Crime | Weymouth West (3) | Broadwey & Littlemoor (11) |
| Other Theft | Weymouth West (11) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (114) |
| Possession of Weapons | Wyke Regis (1) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (21) |
| Public Order | Weymouth West (17) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (116) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Wyke Regis (1) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (10) |
| Shoplifting | Westham North & Radipole (7) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (54) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Wyke Regis (1) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (17) |
| Vehicle Crime | Weymouth West (6) | Broadwey & Littlemoor (22) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Weymouth West (128) | Weymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell (682) |
Crime in Weymouth During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Weymouth change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in September, when Weymouth saw a 500% increase in other crime. Weymouth saw a large fall in other crime during August, when it fell by 89% compared to August in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -2% | +65% | +37% | +58% | +21% | +16% | +30% | -1% | +33% | +26% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -71% | -33% | -25% | -71% | - | +100% | -83% | - | -33% |
| Burglary | -17% | +33% | -9% | -65% | -38% | -44% | +63% | -6% | -25% | -21% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +15% | +10% | -19% | -8% | -32% | -21% | -42% | -29% | -52% | -18% |
| Drugs | - | -15% | -7% | +22% | -35% | -75% | +125% | +30% | -42% | -43% |
| Other Crime | +50% | +100% | +200% | -50% | +20% | -89% | +500% | -80% | +100% | -50% |
| Other Theft | -30% | -30% | -35% | -46% | -26% | -41% | +39% | -21% | +8% | -10% |
| Possession of Weapons | -33% | +100% | -25% | +400% | -17% | +50% | -25% | -63% | -67% | -40% |
| Public Order | -18% | -26% | -10% | +50% | -25% | -4% | +22% | +47% | +7% | +6% |
| Robbery | +50% | -83% | +100% | - | - | - | - | -50% | -33% | +67% |
| Shoplifting | -56% | -61% | -71% | -74% | -60% | -33% | -63% | -36% | -56% | -69% |
| Theft From the Person | - | -50% | -67% | +150% | -40% | +100% | - | +25% | - | -67% |
| Vehicle Crime | -25% | -80% | -44% | +20% | -33% | +25% | -67% | +27% | -82% | +47% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -2% | -30% | -15% | +3% | -28% | -17% | +17% | -21% | -16% | -16% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Weymouth
What police force serves Weymouth?
Weymouth's local territorial police force is the Dorset Police.How dangerous is Weymouth?
Weymouth is the most dangerous medium-sized town in Dorset.What is Weymouth's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Weymouth are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Weymouth?
Weymouth's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 07 May 2021