Crime and Safety in Accrington, Lancashire
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Accrington is the most dangerous medium-sized town in Lancashire, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Lancashire's 236 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Accrington in 2026 is 105 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lancashire's overall crime rate, coming in 47% higher than the Lancashire rate of 72 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Accrington is among the top 20 most dangerous medium-sized towns, and the 323rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In February 2025, Accrington had the worst crime rate in Lancashire for robbery, with 6 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.15 per 1,000 daytime population. April 2020 was also a bad month for Accrington residents, when it was Lancashire's most dangerous area for theft from the person, recording 4 crimes at a rate of 0.11 per 1,000 daytime population. Accrington recorded 10 reports of robbery during September 2020, making its crime rate of 0.27 the worst for robbery in Lancashire that month.
The most common crimes in Accrington are violence and sexual offences, with 1,975 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 51. This is 6% higher than 2025's figure of 1,855 offences and a difference of 3.07 from 2025's crime rate of 47. Accrington's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 19 offences recorded in 2026, an increase of 12% from 2025's figure of 17 crimes.
Accrington 2026 Crime Scorecard
Most Dangerous
Medium-Sized Towns, Lancashire
143% higher, regional crime rate
North West
46% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Accrington is 143% higher than the North West and 46% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Accrington Crime Rate Over Time
| Accrington | |
| North West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Accrington Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Accrington represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
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 visualise the data you need.
See How Accrington Compares
You can compare Accrington's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to Accrington's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Accrington up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Accrington's 788 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in Accrington? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
Accrington • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Accrington has a crime risk score of 684. This is based on analysis of 788 nearby areas within Accrington, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in Accrington's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Accrington, crime risk scores are typically around 684, while in Lancashire they are average 494.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 768 (504 for Lancashire), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 788 (Lancashire 511).
Trends in Crime Risk
Accrington
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
No trend could be found in Accrington's crime risk scores over the last 10 years, and the trend may well be static.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in Accrington's crime risk score is up by 18%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Over the last year, Accrington's crime risk score has shown an upward trend of approximately 9%, indicating that the risk profile is going up. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Accrington
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
Accrington • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Vehicle Crime offences have a crime rate of 8.72 reports per 1,000 people in Accrington, which is 2.03 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 341 crime reports logged by Lancashire Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Lancashire Police recorded 63 reports of Possession of Weapons in Accrington, resulting in a crime rate of 1.61 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 1.89.
The crime rate for Violence and Sexual Offences is 1.66 times the national average at 51 reports per 1,000. This is from 1,975 crime reports reported to Lancashire Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Accrington
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Vehicle Crime offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 2.20 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Vehicle Crime CrimeRate Index was 1.30 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 69% over this timeframe.
Possession of Weapons offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 2.86 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Possession of Weapons CrimeRate Index was 2.29 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 25% over this timeframe.
Theft From the Person offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.42 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Theft From the Person CrimeRate Index was 0.38 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 11% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Accrington
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Shoplifting offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.39 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Shoplifting CrimeRate Index was 0.84 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 65% over this timeframe.
Burglary offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.83 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Burglary CrimeRate Index was 1.30 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 36% over this timeframe.
Criminal Damage and Arson offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.04 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Criminal Damage and Arson CrimeRate Index was 1.52 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 32% over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Accrington • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Accrington | Lancashire | North West | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,435 | 36.74 | 2.60 | 44,091 | 25.12 | 1.78 | 68,604 | 7.93 | 0.56 |
| Bicycle Theft | 19 | 0.50 | 0.94 | 935 | 0.54 | 0.74 | 2,963 | 0.35 | 0.48 |
| Burglary | 177 | 4.53 | 1.45 | 5,672 | 3.22 | 1.03 | 13,151 | 1.50 | 0.48 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 357 | 9.14 | 1.46 | 12,487 | 7.11 | 1.13 | 34,232 | 3.94 | 0.63 |
| Drugs | 139 | 3.56 | 1.15 | 4,150 | 2.37 | 0.77 | 23,463 | 2.70 | 0.87 |
| Other Crime | 108 | 2.75 | 1.49 | 4,141 | 2.36 | 1.28 | 11,008 | 1.28 | 0.69 |
| Other Theft | 248 | 6.36 | 1.12 | 9,088 | 5.17 | 0.91 | 24,256 | 2.79 | 0.49 |
| Possession of Weapons | 63 | 1.61 | 1.89 | 1,753 | 1.01 | 1.19 | 4,543 | 0.53 | 0.62 |
| Public Order | 294 | 7.52 | 1.30 | 8,532 | 4.86 | 0.84 | 36,702 | 4.23 | 0.73 |
| Robbery | 37 | 0.96 | 0.81 | 1,207 | 0.69 | 0.58 | 3,301 | 0.38 | 0.32 |
| Shoplifting | 336 | 8.61 | 1.21 | 9,243 | 5.26 | 0.74 | 27,614 | 3.18 | 0.45 |
| Theft From the Person | 24 | 0.62 | 0.44 | 663 | 0.38 | 0.25 | 1,948 | 0.23 | 0.15 |
| Vehicle Crime | 341 | 8.72 | 2.03 | 6,294 | 3.57 | 0.83 | 14,353 | 1.67 | 0.39 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,975 | 50.55 | 1.66 | 62,045 | 35.33 | 1.16 | 178,380 | 20.58 | 0.68 |
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Total Crime by Year
Accrington | Lancashire | North West | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 4,118 | 105.43 | 1.47 | 126,210 | 71.87 | 1.00 | 375,914 | 43.36 | 0.60 |
| 2025 | 3,979 | 102.03 | 1.39 | 125,027 | 71.71 | 0.97 | 373,106 | 43.34 | 0.59 |
| 2024 | 4,206 | 109.16 | 1.46 | 125,021 | 72.60 | 0.96 | 380,165 | 44.52 | 0.59 |
| 2023 | 3,898 | 102.73 | 1.31 | 126,579 | 74.37 | 0.94 | 418,544 | 49.63 | 0.63 |
| 2022 | 4,034 | 108.46 | 1.42 | 128,887 | 76.97 | 1.00 | 410,255 | 49.27 | 0.64 |
| 2021 | 3,944 | 107.19 | 1.59 | 122,462 | 73.89 | 1.08 | 363,499 | 44.00 | 0.64 |
| 2020 | 4,244 | 115.61 | 1.58 | 132,867 | 80.49 | 1.09 | 388,434 | 47.29 | 0.64 |
| 2019 | 5,451 | 149.10 | 1.98 | 159,649 | 97.36 | 1.28 | 412,412 | 50.39 | 0.66 |
| 2018 | 4,024 | 110.38 | 1.57 | 125,020 | 76.64 | 1.08 | 361,592 | 44.45 | 0.63 |
| 2017 | 3,395 | 93.97 | 1.49 | 103,791 | 64.02 | 1.00 | 303,042 | 37.41 | 0.59 |
| 2016 | 1,005 | 27.91 | 1.48 | 30,635 | 18.97 | 0.99 | 87,310 | 10.80 | 0.57 |
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Accrington Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accrington | 4,118 | 105.43 | - |
| Morecambe | 3,635 | 100.93 | 4.3% safer |
| Fleetwood | 2,565 | 88.68 | 16% safer |
| Chorley | 3,521 | 82.12 | 22% safer |
| Nelson | 3,037 | 77.45 | 27% safer |
| Darwen | 2,408 | 75.79 | 28% safer |
| Skelmersdale | 2,836 | 72.49 | 31% safer |
| Saint Anne's on the Sea | 2,025 | 63.74 | 40% safer |
| Leyland | 2,712 | 61.77 | 41% safer |
Comparing Accrington to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 25% safer |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 22% safer |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 20% safer |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 7% safer |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 0.75% safer |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 0.36% safer |
| Accrington | 105.43 | - |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 1.00% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 1.6% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 2.2% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 19% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
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You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around Accrington's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Accrington that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accrington Pals Gardens | 26 | 8 | 13 | 4 | 33 | 24 |
| Accrington Cemetery | 16 | 1 | 7 | - | 37 | 11 |
| Dykenook Gardens | 9 | 1 | - | 1 | 18 | 4 |
| Accrington Stanley Community Trust Sports Hub | 9 | - | 1 | - | 4 | 4 |
| Peel Park Allotment Gardens | 4 | - | - | - | 4 | 6 |
| Bullough Park | 12 | - | - | - | 25 | 10 |
| King George V Playing Field | 5 | - | 3 | - | 4 | 6 |
| Haworth Park | 10 | - | 1 | - | 13 | 9 |
| Ley Farm Allotments | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Gatty Memorial Park | 13 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 34 | 20 |
| Milnshaw Park | 10 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 31 |
| Peel Park | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Oak Hill Park | 8 | - | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
Recent Crimes in Accrington
The 20 most recent crime reports in Accrington.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Pendle Street | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Plantation Road | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Bradshaw Street West | |
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Pendle Street | |
| April 2026 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Sidings Way | |
| April 2026 | Other crime | On or near Lonsdale Street | |
| April 2026 | Other crime | On or near South Street | |
| April 2026 | Other crime | On or near Sidings Way | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Plantation Road | |
| April 2026 | Theft from the person | On or near Hodder Street | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Owen Street | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Owen Street | |
| April 2026 | Vehicle crime | On or near Essex Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Owen Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Rowland Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Mountain Lane | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Elizabeth Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lonsdale Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Sidings Way | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Richmond Hill Street |
Methodology & Data Sources
Accrington Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in Accrington during July 2026 will typically become available in September 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
Accrington Data Points
For Accrington, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2022 release of their Built Up Areas dataset, using the BUA22CD column value E63000864.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses Accrington's daytime - or "workday" - population of 29,896 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in Accrington