Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BH8 · Bournemouth
309
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
BH18 · Poole
61
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Poole has less crime — 61 vs 309 incidents in April 2026.
Bournemouth recorded substantially more crime than Poole in April 2026 — 309 incidents compared to 61, a 5.1x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bournemouth sees higher rates of Shoplifting (62), while Poole has more Criminal damage & arson (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 April 2026 Police data, Poole recorded fewer crimes than Bournemouth — 61 vs 309 incidents. That is 80% fewer crimes. Poole is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Bournemouth saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Poole had more Criminal damage & arson. Overall, Poole recorded fewer total crimes (61 vs 309).