Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH7 · Bournemouth
262
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
BH18 · Poole
59
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Poole has less crime — 59 vs 262 incidents in February 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Poole in February 2026 — 262 incidents compared to 59, a 4.4x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bournemouth sees higher rates of Vehicle crime (16), while Poole has more Shoplifting (5). 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 — 59 vs 262 incidents. That is 77% 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 Vehicle crime while Poole had more Shoplifting. Overall, Poole recorded fewer total crimes (59 vs 262).