Burnley Crime Overview
Burnley is the second most dangerous major town in Lancashire, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Lancashire's 241 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Burnley in 2020 was 102 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lancashire's overall crime rate, coming in 29% higher than the Lancashire rate of 72 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Burnley is the 28th most dangerous major town, and the 457th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Burnley had the worst crime rate in Lancashire for burglary, with 74 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.89 per 1,000 inhabitants. April 2015 was also a bad month for Burnley residents, when it was Lancashire's most dangerous area for vehicle crime, recording 77 crimes at a rate of 0.92 per 1,000 residents.
The most common crimes in Burnley are violence and sexual offences, with 3,833 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 46. This is 6% higher than 2019's figure of 3,614 offences and a difference of 2.63 from 2019's crime rate of 43. Burnley's least common crime is theft from the person, with 32 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 103% from 2019's figure of 65 crimes.
Compare Burnley to other towns and cities
See how Burnley shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Burnley and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Burnley Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Burnley This Year
| Burnley | Lancashire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 6,472 | 77.64 | 88,466 | 58.63 | 24% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 58 | 0.70 | 867 | 0.57 | 19% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 638 | 7.65 | 7,491 | 4.96 | 35% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,156 | 13.87 | 13,628 | 9.03 | 35% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 189 | 2.27 | 2,486 | 1.65 | 27% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 206 | 2.47 | 2,591 | 1.72 | 30% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 706 | 8.47 | 9,770 | 6.48 | 23% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 71 | 0.85 | 989 | 0.66 | 22% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 646 | 7.75 | 8,094 | 5.36 | 31% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 48 | 0.58 | 752 | 0.50 | 14% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 547 | 6.56 | 5,411 | 3.59 | 45% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 32 | 0.38 | 555 | 0.37 | 2.6% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 414 | 4.97 | 6,257 | 4.15 | 16% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,833 | 45.98 | 50,363 | 33.38 | 27% more dangerous |
Crime in Burnley Compared To Lancashire
Burnley Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamber Bridge | 2,559 | 37.42 | 174% safer |
| Blackburn | 10,717 | 88.62 | 16% safer |
| Preston | 13,780 | 101.56 | 0.92% safer |
| Burnley | 8,544 | 102.49 | - |
| Blackpool | 19,125 | 131.15 | 22% more dangerous |
Burnley Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 62 | 46 | 44 | 78 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.86 | 0.98 | 0.43 | 0.70 | Safer |
| Burglary | 15 | 14 | 11 | 8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 17 | 18 | 12 | 14 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.3 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 12 | 13 | 12 | 8 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.40 | 0.61 | 0.49 | 0.85 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 4.2 | 13 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.42 | 0.74 | 0.92 | 0.58 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.78 | 0.38 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 9 | 6 | 5.0 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 33 | 53 | 43 | 46 | Getting worse |
Changes In Burnley's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Burnley to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 51% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 32% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 23% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 19% safer |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 19% safer |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 5% safer |
| Burnley | 102.49 | - |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 0.37% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 4.5% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 23% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 25% more dangerous |
Crime in Burnley's Neighbourhoods
Barclay Hills & Trinity is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Burnley, followed by Central Burnley & Daneshouse 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 | 983 | 163 | Third |
| Barclay Hills & Trinity | 1,700 | 190 | First |
| Brunshaw & Brownside | 336 | 57 | Ninth |
| Central Burnley & Daneshouse | 1,946 | 189 | Second |
| Harle Syke & Lanehead | 516 | 59 | Eighth |
| Padiham | 939 | 105 | Sixth |
| Queensgate | 652 | 110 | Fourth |
| Rose Hill & Burnley Wood | 986 | 98 | Seventh |
| Whittlefield & Rose Grove | 686 | 108 | Fifth |
Burnley Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
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 | Brunshaw & Brownside (358) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (1,171) |
| Bicycle Theft | Brunshaw & Brownside (2) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (14) |
| Burglary | Brunshaw & Brownside (15) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (127) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Brunshaw & Brownside (37) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (268) |
| Drugs | Harle Syke & Lanehead (2) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (75) |
| Other Crime | Harle Syke & Lanehead (9) | Bank Hall & Fulledge (31) |
| Other Theft | Brunshaw & Brownside (14) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (170) |
| Possession of Weapons | Brunshaw & Brownside (1) | Queensgate (11) |
| Public Order | Harle Syke & Lanehead (25) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (167) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Rose Hill & Burnley Wood (2) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (13) |
| Shoplifting | Whittlefield & Rose Grove (1) | Central Burnley & Daneshouse (389) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Harle Syke & Lanehead (1) | Bank Hall & Fulledge (6) |
| Vehicle Crime | Rose Hill & Burnley Wood (47) | Bank Hall & Fulledge (58) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Harle Syke & Lanehead (238) | Barclay Hills & Trinity (776) |
Crime in Burnley During Coronavirus Lockdowns
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 700% increase in bicycle theft. Burnley saw a large fall in theft from the person during June, when it fell by 86% compared to June in 2019. Rates of other theft and theft from the person both fell year-on-year for every month during Burnley's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +29% | +157% | +96% | +199% | +25% | +58% | +72% | +91% | +71% | +76% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | +100% | +100% | +100% | +100% | - | +133% | +100% | -83% | +700% |
| Burglary | -61% | -41% | -29% | +2% | -23% | +15% | +3% | -9% | +4% | +12% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -3% | -23% | +12% | +9% | +9% | +17% | +20% | -6% | +22% | +4% |
| Drugs | -43% | +13% | - | -13% | +114% | +67% | +23% | +20% | +60% | +36% |
| Other Crime | +25% | +69% | +33% | +163% | +33% | +129% | -15% | +22% | +30% | +6% |
| Other Theft | -6% | -48% | -35% | -38% | -27% | -30% | +14% | -31% | -42% | -33% |
| Possession of Weapons | -25% | +300% | +100% | +33% | +125% | +200% | -25% | - | +300% | +100% |
| Public Order | -24% | -60% | +43% | -4% | -1% | +30% | +28% | -12% | +33% | +21% |
| Robbery | -29% | -67% | -71% | -58% | -64% | -38% | -67% | +133% | +100% | - |
| Shoplifting | -26% | -42% | -30% | -40% | -63% | -55% | -22% | -49% | -32% | -13% |
| Theft From the Person | -33% | +67% | -57% | -86% | -40% | -33% | -29% | -60% | -50% | -67% |
| Vehicle Crime | -2% | -38% | -44% | -52% | -33% | +11% | -3% | +29% | -9% | -20% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -5% | -18% | +4% | +39% | +15% | +9% | +16% | +1% | +8% | +4% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Burnley
What police force serves Burnley?
Burnley's local territorial police force is the Lancashire Constabulary.How dangerous is Burnley?
Burnley is the second most dangerous major town in Lancashire.What is Burnley's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Burnley are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Burnley?
Burnley's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021