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
Crime in Gainsborough Compared To Lincolnshire
Summary of Crimes in Gainsborough This Year
| Gainsborough | Lincolnshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,032 | 49.30 | 26,901 | 24.61 | 50% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 24 | 1.15 | 1,404 | 1.28 | 11% safer |
| Burglary | 190 | 9.08 | 5,666 | 5.18 | 43% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 411 | 19.64 | 10,043 | 9.19 | 53% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 37 | 1.77 | 2,354 | 2.15 | 21% safer |
| Other Crime | 65 | 3.11 | 2,275 | 2.08 | 33% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 211 | 10.08 | 5,909 | 5.41 | 46% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 30 | 1.43 | 753 | 0.69 | 52% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 244 | 11.66 | 8,414 | 7.70 | 34% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 17 | 0.81 | 484 | 0.44 | 46% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 179 | 8.55 | 6,014 | 5.50 | 36% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 5 | 0.24 | 301 | 0.28 | 17% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 154 | 7.36 | 3,702 | 3.39 | 54% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,062 | 50.74 | 34,660 | 31.71 | 38% more dangerous |
Gainsborough Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton-upon-Humber | 692 | 59.30 | 112% safer |
| Stamford | 1,234 | 59.76 | 110% safer |
| Immingham | 672 | 67.92 | 85% safer |
| Mablethorpe and Sutton | 915 | 72.43 | 73% safer |
| Louth | 1,290 | 74.08 | 70% safer |
| Gainsborough | 2,629 | 125.60 | - |
| Skegness | 2,938 | 144.32 | 13% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Gainsborough
View crime percentage over time forGainsborough Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 63 | 51 | 29 | 49 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Burglary | 17 | 13 | 13 | 9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 24 | 24 | 21 | 20 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 3.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 17 | 17 | 11 | 10 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.91 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 3.6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.91 | 0.81 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 22 | 15 | 16 | 9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.72 | 0.62 | 0.19 | 0.24 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 23 | 40 | 59 | 51 | Getting worse |
Changes In Gainsborough's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Gainsborough to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Gainsborough's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainsborough East | 727 | 93 | Second |
| Gainsborough West | 1,795 | 168 | First |
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.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 07 May 2021