Lincoln Crime Overview
Lincoln is the second most dangerous major town in Lincolnshire, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Lincolnshire's 599 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Lincoln in 2020 was 119 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Lincolnshire's overall crime rate, coming in 37% higher than the Lincolnshire rate of 75 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Lincoln is among the top 10 most dangerous major towns, and the 280th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Lincoln had the worst crime rate in Lincolnshire for bicycle theft, with 16 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.15 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Lincoln residents, when it was Lincolnshire's most dangerous area for drugs, recording 41 crimes at a rate of 0.39 per 1,000 residents. Lincoln recorded 25 reports of other crime during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.23 the worst for other crime in Lincolnshire that month.
The most common crimes in Lincoln are violence and sexual offences, with 5,024 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 47. This is 9% lower than 2019's figure of 5,500 offences and a difference of 4.47 from 2019's crime rate of 52. Lincoln's least common crime is theft from the person, with 46 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 109% from 2019's figure of 96 crimes.
Compare Lincoln to other towns and cities
See how Lincoln shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Lincoln and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Lincoln Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Lincoln This Year
| Lincoln | Lincolnshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 5,073 | 47.67 | 26,901 | 24.61 | 48% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 386 | 3.63 | 1,404 | 1.28 | 65% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 730 | 6.86 | 5,666 | 5.18 | 24% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,549 | 14.56 | 10,043 | 9.19 | 37% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 522 | 4.91 | 2,354 | 2.15 | 56% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 301 | 2.83 | 2,275 | 2.08 | 27% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 794 | 7.46 | 5,909 | 5.41 | 27% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 134 | 1.26 | 753 | 0.69 | 45% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,400 | 13.16 | 8,414 | 7.70 | 41% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 91 | 0.86 | 484 | 0.44 | 49% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 1,308 | 12.29 | 6,014 | 5.50 | 55% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 46 | 0.43 | 301 | 0.28 | 35% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 387 | 3.64 | 3,702 | 3.39 | 7% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 5,024 | 47.21 | 34,660 | 31.71 | 33% more dangerous |
Crime in Lincoln Compared To Lincolnshire
Lincoln Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scunthorpe | 8,191 | 98.00 | 22% safer |
| Lincoln | 12,672 | 119.08 | - |
| Grimsby | 11,645 | 131.85 | 10% more dangerous |
Lincoln Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 49 | 45 | 31 | 48 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Burglary | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 4.1 | 5 | 6 | 4.9 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.93 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 4.0 | 8 | 14 | 13 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.68 | 0.96 | 1.2 | 0.86 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 17 | 15 | 16 | 12 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.86 | 0.84 | 0.90 | 0.43 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 20 | 33 | 52 | 47 | Getting worse |
Changes In Lincoln's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Lincoln to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Lincoln's Neighbourhoods
Bracebridge North & Boultham Moor is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Lincoln, followed by Wharf & University in second place, and Ermine as the third most dangerous area. Lincoln's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Bracebridge Heath & Waddington, Bracebridge South & Swallow Beck, and Hartsholme & Birchwood East.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birchwood West | 712 | 100 | Fifth |
| Bracebridge Heath & Waddington | 388 | 37 | Ninth |
| Bracebridge North & Boultham Moor | 1,260 | 163 | First |
| Bracebridge South & Swallow Beck | 633 | 58 | Seventh |
| Cathedral & West Common | 1,572 | 128 | Fourth |
| Ermine | 855 | 140 | Third |
| Glebe Park | 628 | 86 | Sixth |
| Hartsholme & Birchwood East | 407 | 51 | Eighth |
| Wharf & University | 1,621 | 148 | Second |
Lincoln Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Lincoln for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (191) | Bracebridge North & Boultham Moor (524) |
| Bicycle Theft | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (1) | Wharf & University (102) |
| Burglary | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (14) | Wharf & University (134) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (35) | Bracebridge North & Boultham Moor (192) |
| Drugs | Bracebridge South & Swallow Beck (9) | Wharf & University (91) |
| Other Crime | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (12) | Cathedral & West Common (41) |
| Other Theft | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (22) | Wharf & University (111) |
| Possession of Weapons | Bracebridge South & Swallow Beck (5) | Ermine (9) |
| Public Order | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (26) | Bracebridge North & Boultham Moor (143) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (2) | Wharf & University (26) |
| Shoplifting | Hartsholme & Birchwood East (4) | Wharf & University (238) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Hartsholme & Birchwood East (1) | Wharf & University (12) |
| Vehicle Crime | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (12) | Cathedral & West Common (58) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Bracebridge Heath & Waddington (186) | Bracebridge North & Boultham Moor (552) |
Crime in Lincoln During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Lincoln change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Lincoln saw a 154% increase in anti-social behaviour. Lincoln saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 88% compared to April in 2019. Lincoln saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including shoplifting, theft from the person, vehicle crime, and violence and sexual offences.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +10% | +128% | +154% | +80% | +65% | +57% | +55% | +49% | +38% | +15% |
| Bicycle Theft | +14% | -43% | -57% | - | -42% | +50% | +63% | -18% | +8% | -47% |
| Burglary | +100% | +134% | -22% | -22% | -31% | -25% | -25% | -25% | -14% | -26% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +26% | -33% | -16% | -9% | - | -28% | +7% | +6% | -3% | -1% |
| Drugs | -36% | -22% | -13% | -22% | -11% | -6% | -39% | -21% | -16% | -5% |
| Other Crime | +40% | +17% | +40% | +53% | -16% | +24% | -17% | -4% | -26% | +9% |
| Other Theft | -37% | -53% | -16% | -17% | -38% | -20% | -16% | -17% | -30% | -19% |
| Possession of Weapons | -12% | +17% | -60% | -36% | +36% | -18% | +50% | -55% | -24% | -11% |
| Public Order | +28% | -20% | -11% | -11% | -16% | -18% | +3% | -8% | -34% | -12% |
| Robbery | +120% | -29% | -67% | -56% | -57% | -45% | -44% | -17% | -57% | +100% |
| Shoplifting | +48% | -54% | -50% | -46% | -13% | -19% | -25% | -38% | -28% | -49% |
| Theft From the Person | +75% | -88% | -60% | -67% | -67% | -29% | -33% | -56% | -17% | -78% |
| Vehicle Crime | +33% | -52% | -64% | -46% | -63% | -48% | -85% | -48% | -33% | -76% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 0% | -35% | -13% | -4% | -14% | -12% | -19% | -8% | +2% | -19% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Lincoln
What police force serves Lincoln?
Lincoln's local territorial police force is the Lincolnshire Police.How dangerous is Lincoln?
Lincoln is the second most dangerous major town in Lincolnshire.What is Lincoln's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Lincoln are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Lincoln?
Lincoln's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021