Burnley is the second most dangerous major town in Lancashire, and is among the top 5 most dangerous overall out of Lancashire's 236 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Burnley in 2021 was 118 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lancashire's overall crime rate, coming in 35% higher than the Lancashire rate of 77 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Burnley is among the top 20 most dangerous major towns, and the 387th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In September 2021, Burnley had the worst crime rate in Lancashire for shoplifting, with 72 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.86 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Burnley residents, when it was Lancashire's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 84 crimes at a rate of 1.0 per 1,000 residents. Burnley recorded 82 reports of vehicle crime during May 2015, making its crime rate of 0.98 the worst for vehicle crime in Lancashire that month.
The most common crimes in Burnley are violence and sexual offences, with 4,547 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 55. This is 9% higher than 2020's figure of 4,135 offences and a difference of 4.94 from 2020's crime rate of 50. Burnley's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 37 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 73% from 2020's figure of 64 crimes.
Second Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Lancashire
57% higher, regional crime rate
North West
35% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Burnley is 57% higher than the North West and 35% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Burnley | |
| North West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Burnley represent the time frame between July 2019 and June 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 04 Aug, 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: 04 Aug, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 118 | 9,861 |
| 2020 | 110 | 9,172 |
| 2019 | 114 | 9,496 |
| 2018 | 145 | 12,121 |
| 2017 | 111 | 9,216 |
| 2016 | 98 | 8,200 |
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| Burnley | Lancashire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 5,966 | 71.57 | 72,689 | 48.18 | 33% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 37 | 0.44 | 709 | 0.47 | 7% safer |
| Burglary | 571 | 6.85 | 6,454 | 4.28 | 38% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,320 | 15.83 | 14,182 | 9.40 | 41% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 250 | 3.00 | 2,512 | 1.66 | 45% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 249 | 2.99 | 3,131 | 2.08 | 30% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 755 | 9.06 | 9,288 | 6.16 | 32% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 101 | 1.21 | 1,154 | 0.76 | 37% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 863 | 10.35 | 9,631 | 6.38 | 38% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 52 | 0.62 | 810 | 0.54 | 13% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 639 | 7.67 | 5,889 | 3.90 | 49% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 48 | 0.58 | 686 | 0.45 | 22% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 429 | 5.15 | 6,033 | 4.00 | 22% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 4,547 | 54.54 | 55,910 | 37.06 | 32% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamber Bridge | 3,337 | 48.80 | 142% safer |
| Blackburn | 11,910 | 98.49 | 20% safer |
| Preston | 16,026 | 118.12 | 0.14% safer |
| Burnley | 9,861 | 118.29 | - |
| Blackpool | 21,271 | 145.87 | 19% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Hargrove Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Crossley Fold | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Dugdale Street | Offender given a caution |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Thurston Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Other theft | On or near Active Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Shorey Bank | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Other theft | On or near Willis Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near Dryden Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Hammerton Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Ridge Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Other theft | On or near Holmby Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Athol Street North | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Belford Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Browhead Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Possession of weapons | On or near Padgate Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Mizpah Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Hargrove Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Newman Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Dugdale Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near Paradise Street | Further investigation is not in the public interest |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 50 | 48 | 84 | 72 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.1 | 0.47 | 0.77 | 0.44 | Safer |
| Burglary | 15 | 12 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 19 | 13 | 15 | 16 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 3.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 3.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 14 | 12 | 9 | 9 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.61 | 0.53 | 0.91 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 14 | 9 | 8 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.76 | 0.95 | 0.61 | 0.62 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.6 | 0.79 | 0.42 | 0.58 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 57 | 46 | 50 | 55 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Burnley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's Recreation Ground | 3 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 2.8 |
| Sycamore Park | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 0.92 |
| Turf Moor Cricket Ground | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2.2 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 76% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 43% safer |
| Sheffield | 91.10 | 30% safer |
| Bristol | 93.77 | 26% safer |
| Coventry | 102.37 | 16% safer |
| Leicester | 111.75 | 6% safer |
| Burnley | 118.29 | - |
| Liverpool | 127.90 | 8% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 137.17 | 14% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 145.60 | 19% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 153.06 | 23% more dangerous |
Central Burnley & Daneshouse is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Burnley, followed by Barclay Hills & Trinity in second place, and Bank Hall & Fulledge as the third most dangerous area. Burnley's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Brunshaw & Brownside, Harle Syke & Lanehead, and Rose Hill & Burnley Wood.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Hall & Fulledge | 1,146 | 190 | Third |
| Barclay Hills & Trinity | 1,782 | 199 | Second |
| Brunshaw & Brownside | 357 | 60 | Eighth |
| Central Burnley & Daneshouse | 2,185 | 212 | First |
| Harle Syke & Lanehead | 461 | 53 | Ninth |
| Padiham | 948 | 106 | Sixth |
| Queensgate | 754 | 127 | Fourth |
| Rose Hill & Burnley Wood | 1,030 | 102 | Seventh |
| Whittlefield & Rose Grove | 712 | 112 | Fifth |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Burnley for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Harle Syke & Lanehead (357) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (1,326) |
| Bicycle Theft | Rose Hill & Burnley Wood (1) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (10) |
| Burglary | Harle Syke & Lanehead (29) | Bank Hall & Fulledge (73) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Harle Syke & Lanehead (60) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (264) |
| Drugs | Brunshaw & Brownside (2) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (69) |
| Other Crime | Harle Syke & Lanehead (8) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (43) |
| Other Theft | Harle Syke & Lanehead (40) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (190) |
| Possession of Weapons | Padiham (7) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (21) |
| Public Order | Harle Syke & Lanehead (32) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (250) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Padiham (1) | Bank Hall & Fulledge (15) |
| Shoplifting | Whittlefield & Rose Grove (2) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (466) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Harle Syke & Lanehead (1) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (17) |
| Vehicle Crime | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (43) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (67) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Harle Syke & Lanehead (210) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (910) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Burnley change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in December, when Burnley saw a 800% increase in bicycle theft. Burnley saw a large fall in theft from the person during June, when it fell by 88% compared to June in 2019. Other Theft saw a fall in every month of Burnley's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +30% | +156% | +93% | +202% | +24% | +60% | +72% | +90% | +77% | +81% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | +100% | +150% | +133% | +67% | -25% | +167% | +100% | -86% | +800% |
| Burglary | -58% | -37% | -32% | +2% | -24% | +13% | +4% | -15% | +5% | +20% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -5% | -22% | +7% | +16% | +14% | +12% | +20% | +2% | +23% | +3% |
| Drugs | -41% | +13% | +7% | -7% | +114% | +83% | +46% | +18% | +63% | +45% |
| Other Crime | +24% | +47% | +20% | +200% | +40% | +143% | -7% | +8% | +38% | - |
| Other Theft | -7% | -51% | -35% | -35% | -28% | -33% | +8% | -32% | -41% | -33% |
| Possession of Weapons | -33% | +350% | +100% | +33% | +175% | +200% | - | - | +300% | +133% |
| Public Order | -27% | -57% | +38% | -5% | - | +33% | +29% | -8% | +33% | +16% |
| Robbery | -29% | -75% | -71% | -50% | -67% | -38% | -33% | +133% | +125% | - |
| Shoplifting | -25% | -43% | -31% | -37% | -63% | -56% | -22% | -49% | -32% | -15% |
| Theft From the Person | +33% | +67% | -57% | -88% | -40% | -33% | -14% | -60% | -50% | -67% |
| Vehicle Crime | +4% | -34% | -44% | -52% | -33% | +14% | +6% | +24% | -10% | -19% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -2% | -19% | +6% | +37% | +16% | +8% | +13% | +3% | +8% | +5% |
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