Darwen is among the top 5 most dangerous medium-sized towns 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 Darwen in 2021 was 99 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lancashire's overall crime rate, coming in 22% higher than the Lancashire rate of 77 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Darwen is the 56th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 598th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2021, Darwen was the worst medium-sized town in Lancashire for burglary, with 29 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. January 2021 was also a bad month for Darwen residents, when it was Lancashire's most dangerous medium-sized town for other crime, recording 9 crimes at a rate of 0.33 per 1,000 residents. Darwen recorded 6 reports of possession of weapons during August 2021, making its crime rate of 0.22 the worst medium-sized town for possession of weapons in Lancashire that month.
The most common crimes in Darwen are violence and sexual offences, with 1,357 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 50. This is 16% higher than 2020's figure of 1,134 offences and a difference of 8.21 from 2020's crime rate of 42. Darwen's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 7 offences recorded in 2021, the same as 2020's figure of 7 crimes.
Top 5 Most Dangerous
Medium-Sized Towns, Lancashire
48% higher, regional crime rate
North West
23% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Darwen is 48% higher than the North West and 23% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Darwen | |
| North West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Darwen 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 | 99 | 2,700 |
| 2020 | 88 | 2,381 |
| 2019 | 99 | 2,677 |
| 2018 | 110 | 2,984 |
| 2017 | 88 | 2,398 |
| 2016 | 83 | 2,259 |
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| Darwen | Lancashire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,684 | 62.03 | 72,689 | 48.18 | 22% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 7 | 0.26 | 709 | 0.47 | 81% safer |
| Burglary | 226 | 8.32 | 6,454 | 4.28 | 49% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 346 | 12.74 | 14,182 | 9.40 | 26% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 39 | 1.44 | 2,512 | 1.66 | 15% safer |
| Other Crime | 71 | 2.62 | 3,131 | 2.08 | 21% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 165 | 6.08 | 9,288 | 6.16 | 1.3% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 26 | 0.96 | 1,154 | 0.76 | 21% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 221 | 8.14 | 9,631 | 6.38 | 22% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.52 | 810 | 0.54 | 3.8% safer |
| Shoplifting | 69 | 2.54 | 5,889 | 3.90 | 54% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 9 | 0.33 | 686 | 0.45 | 36% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 150 | 5.53 | 6,033 | 4.00 | 28% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,357 | 49.98 | 55,910 | 37.06 | 26% more dangerous |
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Anne's on the Sea | 1,516 | 55.17 | 80% safer |
| Leyland | 2,460 | 62.29 | 60% safer |
| Skelmersdale | 2,167 | 63.90 | 56% safer |
| Chorley | 3,344 | 88.91 | 12% safer |
| Nelson | 2,890 | 92.16 | 8% safer |
| Darwen | 2,700 | 99.45 | - |
| Morecambe | 3,760 | 105.96 | 6% more dangerous |
| Fleetwood | 3,013 | 114.97 | 13% more dangerous |
| Accrington | 4,202 | 117.99 | 16% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Limes Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Newton Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Priory Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Powell Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Church Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Oldfield Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Ellesmere Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Crewdson Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Limes Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Lynwood Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Anyon Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Church Terrace | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Aysgarth Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Hardman Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Bolton Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Limes Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near M65 | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Two Gates Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Preston Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 37 | 46 | 72 | 62 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.48 | 0.44 | 0.26 | 0.26 | Safer |
| Burglary | 13 | 9 | 7 | 8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.6 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.41 | 0.70 | 0.74 | 0.96 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.44 | 0.41 | 0.44 | 0.52 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 6 | 3.9 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.92 | 0.41 | 0.11 | 0.33 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 7 | 9 | 4.0 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 45 | 40 | 42 | 50 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Darwen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksnape Playing Fields | 6 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.34 |
| Darwen Cricket and Sports Club | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2.3 |
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 48% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 21% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 10% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 10% safer |
| Darwen | 99.45 | - |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 2.7% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 11% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 19% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 23% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 25% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 34% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen Town | 871 | 137 | First |
| East Darwen | 656 | 115 | Second |
| North Darwen | 682 | 102 | Third |
| South Darwen & Whitehall | 486 | 58 | Fourth |
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | South Darwen & Whitehall (278) | Darwen Town (554) |
| Bicycle Theft | Darwen Town (1) | North Darwen (4) |
| Burglary | North Darwen (46) | Darwen Town (68) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | South Darwen & Whitehall (44) | East Darwen (112) |
| Drugs | South Darwen & Whitehall (4) | Darwen Town (13) |
| Other Crime | South Darwen & Whitehall (14) | Darwen Town (21) |
| Other Theft | South Darwen & Whitehall (38) | Darwen Town (52) |
| Possession of Weapons | South Darwen & Whitehall (3) | Darwen Town (14) |
| Public Order | South Darwen & Whitehall (26) | Darwen Town (73) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | North Darwen (1) | Darwen Town (7) |
| Shoplifting | South Darwen & Whitehall (1) | Darwen Town (58) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | East Darwen (1) | South Darwen & Whitehall (4) |
| Vehicle Crime | East Darwen (21) | North Darwen (44) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | South Darwen & Whitehall (230) | Darwen Town (427) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Darwen change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in August, when Darwen saw a 700% increase in other crime. Darwen saw a large fall in vehicle crime during May, when it fell by 95% compared to May in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -7% | +94% | +111% | +205% | +51% | +28% | +31% | +34% | +64% | +86% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | - | -50% | - | +200% | - | - | - |
| Burglary | +5% | +21% | -19% | +30% | -31% | -24% | -73% | -49% | -38% | +133% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -36% | -26% | -46% | -23% | -8% | +7% | -47% | -42% | +10% | +4% |
| Drugs | -50% | - | +67% | +500% | -83% | +300% | -67% | +100% | - | - |
| Other Crime | -17% | -25% | +50% | -20% | -38% | +700% | +300% | - | +267% | +250% |
| Other Theft | -19% | -72% | +20% | -9% | -5% | -19% | -46% | -55% | +36% | -42% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | -50% | - | +200% | - | - | -50% | - | -50% |
| Public Order | -38% | -54% | -28% | +25% | -16% | +73% | +120% | +54% | +67% | -44% |
| Robbery | - | +100% | -50% | - | +100% | - | - | - | - | -67% |
| Shoplifting | -50% | -67% | -38% | -50% | -8% | -13% | -44% | -80% | -65% | -70% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | -75% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -20% | -42% | -95% | -47% | -73% | -54% | -78% | -26% | -65% | -50% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -7% | -23% | +28% | +21% | +1% | +30% | +12% | -11% | +14% | -19% |
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