Blackpool Crime Overview
Blackpool is the most dangerous major town in Lancashire, and is the second most dangerous overall out of Lancashire's 241 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Blackpool in 2020 was 131 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lancashire's overall crime rate, coming in 45% higher than the Lancashire rate of 72 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Blackpool is the third most dangerous major town, and the 200th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Blackpool had the worst crime rate in Lancashire for bicycle theft, with 17 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.12 per 1,000 inhabitants. October 2020 was also a bad month for Blackpool residents, when it was Lancashire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 107 crimes at a rate of 0.73 per 1,000 residents. Blackpool recorded 175 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2020, making its crime rate of 1.2 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Lancashire that month.
The most common crimes in Blackpool are violence and sexual offences, with 9,015 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 62. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 9,605 offences and a difference of 4.05 from 2019's crime rate of 66. Blackpool's least common crime is robbery, with 159 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 38% from 2019's figure of 219 crimes.
Compare Blackpool to other towns and cities
See how Blackpool shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Blackpool and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Blackpool Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Blackpool This Year
| Blackpool | Lancashire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 14,640 | 100.40 | 88,466 | 58.63 | 42% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 167 | 1.15 | 867 | 0.57 | 50% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 1,105 | 7.58 | 7,491 | 4.96 | 35% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,314 | 15.87 | 13,628 | 9.03 | 43% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 500 | 3.43 | 2,486 | 1.65 | 52% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 418 | 2.87 | 2,591 | 1.72 | 40% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 1,801 | 12.35 | 9,770 | 6.48 | 48% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 199 | 1.36 | 989 | 0.66 | 51% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,540 | 10.56 | 8,094 | 5.36 | 49% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 159 | 1.09 | 752 | 0.50 | 54% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 906 | 6.21 | 5,411 | 3.59 | 42% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 168 | 1.15 | 555 | 0.37 | 68% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 833 | 5.71 | 6,257 | 4.15 | 27% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 9,015 | 61.82 | 50,363 | 33.38 | 46% more dangerous |
Crime in Blackpool Compared To Lancashire
Blackpool Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamber Bridge | 2,559 | 37.42 | 250% safer |
| Blackburn | 10,717 | 88.62 | 48% safer |
| Preston | 13,780 | 101.56 | 29% safer |
| Burnley | 8,544 | 102.49 | 28% safer |
| Blackpool | 19,125 | 131.15 | - |
Blackpool Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 94 | 60 | 67 | 100 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Burglary | 13 | 12 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 21 | 21 | 16 | 16 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 3.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.7 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 18 | 21 | 18 | 12 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.71 | 0.72 | 1.1 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 6 | 19 | 14 | 11 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 12 | 10 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 9 | 10 | 9 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 52 | 81 | 66 | 62 | Safer |
Changes In Blackpool's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Blackpool to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Blackpool's Neighbourhoods
Central Blackpool is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Blackpool, followed by South Promenade & Seasiders Way in second place, and North Shore as the third most dangerous area. Blackpool's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Little Bispham & Anchorsholme, Squires Gate, and St Annes North & Airport.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Blackpool | 3,461 | 486 | First |
| Churchtown | 524 | 66 | 14th |
| Common Edge | 435 | 54 | 15th |
| Hawes Side | 722 | 101 | 11th |
| Hoohill | 464 | 77 | 13th |
| Little Bispham & Anchorsholme | 372 | 48 | 17th |
| Little Layton & Little Carleton | 871 | 143 | Sixth |
| Little Marton & Marton Moss Side | 1,039 | 153 | Fifth |
| Norbreck & Bispham | 416 | 52 | 16th |
| North East Centre | 1,293 | 188 | Fourth |
| North Shore | 1,813 | 302 | Third |
| Park Road | 964 | 127 | Seventh |
| Queenstown & Layton | 960 | 119 | Ninth |
| South Promenade & Seasiders Way | 2,112 | 349 | Second |
| South Shore | 831 | 102 | Tenth |
| Squires Gate | 347 | 44 | 19th |
| St Annes North & Airport | 331 | 45 | 18th |
| Victoria | 992 | 125 | Eighth |
| Warbreck & Bispham Road | 657 | 79 | 12th |
Blackpool Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Blackpool for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Norbreck & Bispham (277) | Central Blackpool (2,242) |
| Bicycle Theft | St Annes North & Airport (2) | Central Blackpool (24) |
| Burglary | Norbreck & Bispham (18) | Central Blackpool (206) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Norbreck & Bispham (32) | Central Blackpool (372) |
| Drugs | Norbreck & Bispham (4) | South Promenade & Seasiders Way (89) |
| Other Crime | Squires Gate (5) | Central Blackpool (60) |
| Other Theft | Squires Gate (26) | Central Blackpool (343) |
| Possession of Weapons | Little Bispham & Anchorsholme (1) | Central Blackpool (44) |
| Public Order | Common Edge (24) | Central Blackpool (380) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Common Edge (2) | Central Blackpool (45) |
| Shoplifting | Little Bispham & Anchorsholme (5) | Central Blackpool (361) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | St Annes North & Airport (1) | Central Blackpool (53) |
| Vehicle Crime | Common Edge (13) | Hoohill (72) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | St Annes North & Airport (144) | Central Blackpool (1,403) |
Crime in Blackpool During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Blackpool change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in September, when Blackpool saw a 275% increase in drugs. Blackpool saw a large fall in theft from the person during October, when it fell by 77% compared to October in 2019. Rates of public order and robbery both fell year-on-year for every month during Blackpool's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +37% | +104% | +97% | +158% | +2% | +33% | +22% | +43% | +32% | +42% |
| Bicycle Theft | -38% | -38% | +70% | -12% | -55% | -50% | -50% | -52% | +7% | +113% |
| Burglary | -21% | -55% | -9% | -7% | +9% | -26% | -9% | +19% | -23% | -10% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +4% | -49% | -38% | -25% | -15% | +21% | +2% | +10% | -3% | -1% |
| Drugs | -26% | +3% | -5% | +42% | +46% | +15% | +275% | +68% | +87% | +5% |
| Other Crime | -11% | -5% | -24% | -6% | -8% | +68% | +33% | +113% | +43% | -13% |
| Other Theft | -20% | -49% | -41% | -43% | -37% | -26% | -14% | -31% | -36% | -41% |
| Possession of Weapons | -40% | +55% | +33% | +15% | +35% | +83% | +58% | -33% | +27% | +38% |
| Public Order | -45% | -46% | -37% | -26% | -2% | -4% | -16% | +12% | -10% | -15% |
| Robbery | -67% | -65% | -35% | -50% | -12% | +63% | -29% | -18% | -38% | -22% |
| Shoplifting | -17% | -29% | -56% | -52% | -37% | -40% | -46% | -55% | -62% | -52% |
| Theft From the Person | -35% | -45% | -41% | -45% | -45% | -45% | -55% | -77% | -63% | -39% |
| Vehicle Crime | +33% | -46% | -64% | -72% | -46% | -23% | +2% | -52% | -44% | -51% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -26% | -36% | -20% | -18% | +1% | +8% | +15% | +19% | +16% | -4% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Blackpool
What police force serves Blackpool?
Blackpool's local territorial police force is the Lancashire Constabulary.How dangerous is Blackpool?
Blackpool is the most dangerous major town in Lancashire.What is Blackpool's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Blackpool are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Blackpool?
Blackpool's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021