Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH5 · Bournemouth
274
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
BH13 · Poole
69
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Poole has less crime — 69 vs 274 incidents in February 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Poole in February 2026 — 274 incidents compared to 69, a 4.0x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bournemouth sees higher rates of Criminal damage & arson (22), 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 274 incidents. That is 75% 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 Criminal damage & arson while Poole had more Vehicle crime. Overall, Poole recorded fewer total crimes (69 vs 274).