Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH3 · Bournemouth
252
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
BH13 · Poole
69
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Poole has less crime — 69 vs 252 incidents in February 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Poole in February 2026 — 252 incidents compared to 69, a 3.7x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bournemouth sees higher rates of Shoplifting (50), while Poole has more Vehicle crime (7). Bournemouth sits above the national average for recorded crime while Poole is below — a significant gap for anyone weighing up the two.
Full reports cover 24 months of trends, ward breakdowns, outcome rates, and a detailed safety score — from £4.99.
Based on February 2026 Police data, Poole recorded fewer crimes than Bournemouth — 69 vs 252 incidents. That is 73% fewer crimes. Poole is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In February 2026, Bournemouth saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Poole had more Vehicle crime. Overall, Poole recorded fewer total crimes (69 vs 252).