Gainsborough Crime Overview

Gainsborough is the second most dangerous small town in Lincolnshire, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Lincolnshire's 599 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Gainsborough in 2020 was 126 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lincolnshire's overall crime rate, coming in 40% higher than the Lincolnshire rate of 75 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Gainsborough is the 23rd most dangerous small town, and the 236th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

In January 2019, Gainsborough had the worst crime rate in Lincolnshire for possession of weapons, with 10 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.48 per 1,000 inhabitants.

The most common crimes in Gainsborough are violence and sexual offences, with 1,062 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 51. This is 16% lower than 2019's figure of 1,234 offences and a difference of 8.22 from 2019's crime rate of 59. Gainsborough's least common crime is theft from the person, with 5 offences recorded in 2020, an increase of 20% from 2019's figure of 4 crimes.

Compare Gainsborough to other towns and cities

See how Gainsborough shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Gainsborough and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.

Gainsborough Crime Map

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Crime in Gainsborough Compared To Lincolnshire

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Summary of Crimes in Gainsborough This Year

 GainsboroughLincolnshire 
CrimeCountRateCountRateRate Difference
Anti-Social Behaviour1,03249.3026,90124.6150% more dangerous
Bicycle Theft241.151,4041.2811% safer
Burglary1909.085,6665.1843% more dangerous
Criminal Damage and Arson41119.6410,0439.1953% more dangerous
Drugs371.772,3542.1521% safer
Other Crime653.112,2752.0833% more dangerous
Other Theft21110.085,9095.4146% more dangerous
Possession of Weapons301.437530.6952% more dangerous
Public Order24411.668,4147.7034% more dangerous
Robbery170.814840.4446% more dangerous
Shoplifting1798.556,0145.5036% more dangerous
Theft From the Person50.243010.2817% safer
Vehicle Crime1547.363,7023.3954% more dangerous
Violence and Sexual Offences1,06250.7434,66031.7138% more dangerous

Gainsborough Compared to Nearby Small Towns

Small TownTotal CrimesCrime RateRate Difference
Barton-upon-Humber69259.30112% safer
Stamford1,23459.76110% safer
Immingham67267.9285% safer
Mablethorpe and Sutton91572.4373% safer
Louth1,29074.0870% safer
Gainsborough2,629125.60-
Skegness2,938144.3213% more dangerous

Crime Over Time in Gainsborough

View crime percentage over time for

Recent Crimes in Gainsborough

DateCrime TypeLocationOutcome
November 2021Public orderOn or near QueenswayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Other crimeOn or near Burton StreetInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Washington StreetUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Heapham CrescentInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Heapham CrescentInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Heapham CrescentInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Linwood CloseUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Old ShowfieldsInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near SupermarketUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near John Jenkinson CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Newton CloseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021BurglaryOn or near Linden TerraceInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Beaufort StreetInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Beaufort StreetUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Shopping AreaInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Other theftOn or near Shopping AreaUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near Shopping AreaInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near SupermarketUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near SupermarketUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Birrel StreetUnable to prosecute suspect

Gainsborough Crime Trends

 Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents 
Crime2017201820192020Trend
Anti-Social Behaviour63512949Getting worse
Bicycle Theft2.71.71.21.2Safer
Burglary1713139Safer
Criminal Damage and Arson24242120Safer
Drugs4.13.13.11.8Safer
Other Crime2.52.53.33.1Getting worse
Other Theft17171110Safer
Possession of Weapons0.911.41.81.4Getting worse
Public Order3.681112Getting worse
Robbery (inc. mugging)1.11.00.910.81Safer
Shoplifting2215169Safer
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)0.720.620.190.24Safer
Vehicle Crime10777Safer
Violence and Sexual Offences23405951Getting worse

Changes In Gainsborough's Crime Rates Over Time

Comparing Gainsborough to the UK's Major Cities

Small TownCrime RateRate Difference
Barnet67.7185% safer
Coventry77.4162% safer
Croydon83.2251% safer
Sheffield85.8146% safer
Bristol86.2146% safer
Leicester97.4429% safer
Birmingham102.8722% safer
Liverpool107.2817% safer
Gainsborough125.60-
Bradford133.026% more dangerous
Leeds137.108% more dangerous

Crime in Gainsborough's Neighbourhoods

NeighbourhoodCrime CountCrime RateDanger Rank
Gainsborough East72793Second
Gainsborough West1,795168First

Crime in Gainsborough During Coronavirus Lockdowns

Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Gainsborough change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in August, when Gainsborough saw a 300% increase in possession of weapons. Gainsborough saw a large fall in shoplifting during May, when it fell by 98% compared to May in 2019.

CrimeMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Anti-Social Behaviour+24%+221%+190%+81%+54%+10%+15%+80%+42%+85%
Bicycle Theft----33%--50%+25%---
Burglary-72%-52%-89%+7%+35%--52%+5%+8%-64%
Criminal Damage and Arson-19%-36%-20%-11%-15%-23%-5%+70%+59%-19%
Drugs-56%-83%+25%-67%-83%+67%+200%-50%-71%+100%
Other Crime+200%-20%-33%-67%-45%+17%-+80%-67%-
Other Theft-31%-11%-50%-26%+5%+81%+58%-+55%-13%
Possession of Weapons--25%-33%--80%+300%+50%--67%-
Public Order+118%-15%+50%+12%-27%-33%-18%+67%-6%-10%
Robbery-60%---+50%----67%+200%
Shoplifting-66%-80%-98%-74%-13%+10%-47%+213%+64%+110%
Theft From the Person----------
Vehicle Crime-58%+64%-50%+50%+73%-+17%+13%+23%-5%
Violence and Sexual Offences+3%-42%-31%+3%-33%+13%+18%-25%-13%-26%

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Gainsborough

What police force serves Gainsborough?
Gainsborough's local territorial police force is the Lincolnshire Police.
How dangerous is Gainsborough?
Gainsborough is the second most dangerous small town in Lincolnshire.
What is Gainsborough's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Gainsborough are violence and sexual offences.
What is the least common crime in Gainsborough?
Gainsborough's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).

Last updated: 31 Dec 2021