Portsmouth is the safest cities in Hampshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Hampshire's 268 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Portsmouth in 2021 was 116 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Hampshire's overall crime rate, coming in 31% higher than the Hampshire rate of 80 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Portsmouth is among the top 10 most dangerous city, and the 380th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2021, Portsmouth had the worst crime rate in Hampshire for drugs, with 99 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.43 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Portsmouth residents, when it was Hampshire's most dangerous area for bicycle theft, recording 59 crimes at a rate of 0.26 per 1,000 residents. Portsmouth recorded 36 reports of possession of weapons during May 2021, making its crime rate of 0.16 the worst for possession of weapons in Hampshire that month.
The most common crimes in Portsmouth are violence and sexual offences, with 11,892 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 52. This is 15% higher than 2020's figure of 10,064 offences and a difference of 7.96 from 2020's crime rate of 44. Portsmouth's least common crime is theft from the person, with 182 offences recorded in 2021, an increase of 16% from 2020's figure of 152 crimes.
Safest
Cities, Hampshire
38% higher, regional crime rate
South East
34% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Portsmouth is 38% higher than the South East and 34% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Portsmouth | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Portsmouth represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 116 | 26,653 |
| 2020 | 99 | 22,724 |
| 2019 | 104 | 23,901 |
| 2018 | 111 | 25,476 |
| 2017 | 112 | 25,715 |
| 2016 | 86 | 19,869 |
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| Portsmouth | Hampshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 4,515 | 19.64 | 27,808 | 15.03 | 23% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 671 | 2.92 | 2,453 | 1.33 | 54% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 1,038 | 4.52 | 7,474 | 4.04 | 11% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,211 | 9.62 | 14,046 | 7.59 | 21% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 1,011 | 4.40 | 4,674 | 2.53 | 42% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 357 | 1.55 | 2,320 | 1.25 | 19% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 1,332 | 5.80 | 9,211 | 4.98 | 14% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 354 | 1.54 | 1,654 | 0.89 | 42% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 3,429 | 14.92 | 18,964 | 10.25 | 31% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 262 | 1.14 | 1,103 | 0.60 | 47% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 2,687 | 11.69 | 8,072 | 4.36 | 63% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 182 | 0.79 | 873 | 0.47 | 41% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 1,227 | 5.34 | 9,178 | 4.96 | 7% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 11,892 | 51.74 | 67,127 | 36.29 | 30% more dangerous |
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 26,653 | 115.96 | - |
| Southampton | 33,163 | 122.94 | 6% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Admiralty Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near Norway Road | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near North End Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Artillery Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Lawrence Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Watersedge Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Paddington Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Wheatstone Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Washbrook Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Clock Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Freshwater Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Posbrooke Road | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Sword Sands Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 14 | 20 | 25 | 20 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 5 | 3.8 | 4.5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 8 | 6 | 4.6 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 11 | 10 | 12 | 15 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.86 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | Getting worse |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.98 | 0.84 | 0.66 | 0.79 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 7 | 3.6 | 5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 42 | 43 | 44 | 52 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Portsmouth that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bransbury Park | 13 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2.4 |
| Victoria Park | 2 | 6 | 1 | - | 7 | 1 | 4.1 |
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 73% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 41% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 29% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 28% safer |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 13% safer |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 3.9% safer |
| Portsmouth | 115.96 | - |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 6% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 11% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 12% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 23% more dangerous |
Fratton West & Portsea is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Portsmouth, followed by Landport in second place, and Wymering as the third most dangerous area. Portsmouth's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Drayton & Farlington, Portchester North West, and Portchester South East.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Park | 621 | 82 | 17th |
| Anchorage Park & Copnor | 893 | 116 | 11th |
| Baffins | 1,122 | 109 | 12th |
| Cosham North | 381 | 57 | 22nd |
| Cosham South | 559 | 67 | 21st |
| Drayton & Farlington | 352 | 54 | 23rd |
| Eastney | 640 | 74 | 20th |
| Fratton Kingston | 1,485 | 141 | Seventh |
| Fratton North | 736 | 75 | 19th |
| Fratton West & Portsea | 4,124 | 251 | First |
| Hilsea | 911 | 118 | Tenth |
| Landport | 2,012 | 245 | Second |
| Milton | 763 | 79 | 18th |
| North End East | 944 | 105 | 13th |
| North End West & Whale Island | 813 | 142 | Sixth |
| Paulsgrove East | 1,083 | 136 | Eighth |
| Portchester North West | 314 | 40 | 25th |
| Portchester South East | 361 | 48 | 24th |
| Somers Town | 1,608 | 127 | Ninth |
| Southsea Fawcett Road | 1,420 | 160 | Fifth |
| Southsea Haslemere Road | 774 | 82 | 16th |
| Southsea Prince Albert Road | 541 | 85 | 15th |
| Southsea Waverley Road | 624 | 92 | 14th |
| Southsea West | 1,582 | 212 | Fourth |
| Wymering | 1,410 | 219 | Third |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Portsmouth for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Portchester North West (66) | Landport (583) |
| Bicycle Theft | Portchester North West (1) | Fratton West & Portsea (155) |
| Burglary | Portchester North West (11) | Landport (68) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Drayton & Farlington (23) | Landport (186) |
| Drugs | Portchester North West (8) | Fratton West & Portsea (275) |
| Other Crime | Cosham North (1) | Fratton West & Portsea (59) |
| Other Theft | Portchester North West (13) | Wymering (95) |
| Possession of Weapons | Anchorage Park & Copnor (1) | Fratton West & Portsea (76) |
| Public Order | Portchester North West (29) | Landport (325) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Portchester South East (1) | Fratton West & Portsea (68) |
| Shoplifting | Southsea Waverley Road (1) | Southsea West (684) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Portchester North West (1) | Fratton West & Portsea (50) |
| Vehicle Crime | Portchester South East (11) | Fratton West & Portsea (159) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Portchester North West (175) | Landport (991) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Portsmouth change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in March, when Portsmouth saw a 150% increase in anti-social behaviour. Portsmouth saw a large fall in vehicle crime during May, when it fell by 75% compared to May in 2019. Criminal Damage and Arson saw a fall in every month of Portsmouth's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +150% | +9% | +9% | +21% | -1% | +21% | +17% | +13% | +18% | +4% |
| Bicycle Theft | -2% | -54% | -55% | -43% | -60% | -36% | -8% | -31% | -17% | -9% |
| Burglary | -22% | -41% | -42% | -27% | -42% | -15% | -11% | -26% | -46% | -23% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -4% | -49% | -37% | -27% | +3% | -5% | -12% | -12% | -29% | -32% |
| Drugs | -13% | -3% | +6% | +19% | +38% | - | +34% | -22% | +25% | +49% |
| Other Crime | +13% | -25% | -14% | +21% | +59% | +16% | -7% | - | - | -23% |
| Other Theft | -26% | -42% | -61% | -25% | -26% | -23% | -31% | -13% | -43% | -19% |
| Possession of Weapons | -13% | +47% | +4% | +52% | +72% | -6% | +14% | +13% | -10% | -17% |
| Public Order | +34% | +2% | +20% | +46% | +23% | +38% | +22% | +16% | +2% | -9% |
| Robbery | -7% | -7% | +12% | +19% | +16% | -14% | +75% | +40% | +36% | -33% |
| Shoplifting | -28% | -61% | -23% | +5% | +35% | +96% | +76% | +8% | +10% | -12% |
| Theft From the Person | +31% | -71% | -44% | +6% | -48% | +17% | -29% | -14% | -20% | +20% |
| Vehicle Crime | -16% | -55% | -75% | -50% | -47% | -42% | -66% | -57% | -67% | -54% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +3% | -12% | -6% | +7% | +27% | +14% | 0% | -8% | -8% | -14% |
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