The latest crime statistics show that Dorset remains one of the safest areas in the country after experiencing a decrease in crime.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released data on Thursday 30 January 2025, confirming that Dorset remains in England’s top ten safest areas. During the 12 months from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024, overall crime in Dorset fell by 2.9 per cent, a reassuring message for Dorset communities.
The county experienced a reduction in certain crimes, including violence against the person, which fell by five per cent and robberies, which dropped by 19.4 per cent.
Reports of stalking and harassment also fell by 10.3 per cent, compared to the national decrease of 9.2 per cent, illustrating Dorset Police’s commitment to targeting perpetrators and supporting victims.
However, there was a rise of 17.6 per cent in racially or religiously aggravated offences, which is in line with the national 15.3 per cent increase.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell commented “Unfortunately, here in Dorset and elsewhere in the country, we saw a spike in hate crime offences during the protests and associated disorder we experienced during the summer of 2024. In line with our commitment to creating a safe county for everyone, we engaged with our diverse communities and Independent Advisory Groups to encourage reporting hate crimes and incidents, which is reflected in this increase in reporting.”
Reflecting on other increases in certain types of crime, DCC Farrell said “Vehicle offences have increased by 6.4 per cent, compared to a national drop of 5.5 per cent. The Force is committed to addressing this crime type and focuses efforts in high-risk areas, targeting criminals and raising crime prevention awareness with the public.
“Shoplifting has increased by 7.2 per cent; however, compared to the October 2024 report of an increase of 19.2 per cent, this drop displays a significant improvement and is well below the national rise of 22.5 per cent. We can confidently attribute this decrease to our Operation Shopkeeper initiative, which is our approach to supporting retailers who are the victims of these offences. The collaborative work of our officers and staff has significantly impacted this crime type.”
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick, said: “Another consecutive fall in overall crime demonstrates why Dorset remains one of the safest places in the country.
“These results are testament to the hard work of Dorset Police officers, staff and volunteers who continue to deliver for the people of this county.”
