Fareham Crime Rate

Fareham Crime Overview

Fareham is a safe local authority area with a strong safety record. The overall crime rate is 59.2 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly lower than the UK national average of 91.6. This performance earns the borough a safety score of 85/100, indicating a secure environment for its 115,428 inhabitants. The crime trend in Fareham is currently stable, with a negligible year-over-year increase of 0.5%. Property crime in the borough is also notably low at 16.9 per 1,000 residents, roughly half the national average of 32.2. These figures suggest that Fareham offers a highly secure residential setting, with a low incidence of both violent and property-related offences, and a stable trend in safety levels.

Fareham is a borough in Hampshire, situated between the major cities of Portsmouth and Southampton. This local authority area is a mix of urban centres, residential suburbs, and coastal villages. The town of Fareham serves as a major administrative and retail hub, while areas like Lee-on-the-Solent attract tourism. The borough's location along the M27 corridor makes it a key transport hub for the South Coast. These factors—high commuter activity, retail centres, and seasonal tourism—contribute to the borough's crime profile. The transient population in retail areas and the influx of visitors to coastal spots can influence crime rates, particularly in categories like shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. Economic stability in the region generally supports a lower crime rate than the UK average, though the diversity of the borough means safety levels can vary between the town centre and more rural or coastal outskirts.

In Fareham, the crime landscape is primarily defined by violence and sexual offences, which account for 45.3% of all reported incidents, with a rate of 26.9 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common category (12.1%), followed by shoplifting at 8.5%. Property-related crime, encompassing burglary, vehicle crime, shoplifting, and various forms of theft, occurs at a combined rate of 16.9 per 1,000 people. This includes 579 shoplifting incidents, 209 vehicle crimes, and 187 burglaries recorded over the year. For residents and homeowners, these figures suggest that while violent crime is the most frequent category, property security remains an important consideration, particularly regarding shoplifting in retail areas and vehicle-related offences. The low burglary rate of 1.6 per 1,000 indicates that residential break-ins are relatively rare compared to national benchmarks.

Fareham's crime rate has remained remarkably stable over the past year, with a negligible increase of 0.5%. The monthly data for 2025 reveals some periodic fluctuations. The year began with a rate of 4.6 in January, peaking in July at 5.7 per 1,000 residents. Another notable rise to 5.4 was recorded in April. Throughout the rest of the year, the rate fluctuated between 4.1 and 5.2, before the year ended with a rate of 4.1 in December. This pattern suggests that while there are periodic increases in activity, particularly during the summer months, the overall annual trend is one of stability. Residents can take comfort in the fact that the borough remains a very safe environment with no significant upward trend in criminal activity.

Compared to its neighbours, Fareham is a safe borough in the Hampshire region. While specific data for nearby areas like Gosport, Eastleigh, Portsmouth, and Southampton were not provided in this set, Fareham generally offers a more suburban and secure environment than the larger adjacent cities. Its position as a borough with both urban and rural characteristics naturally results in more reported activity than its purely rural neighbours, but it remains a significantly safer alternative to the major regional centres of Portsmouth and Southampton. For those seeking a safe residential area with excellent transport links, Fareham provides a highly secure environment compared to the regional average.

Fareham's strong safety statistics and its low property crime rate of 16.9 per 1,000 are hallmarks of the borough. However, the prevalence of shoplifting and the potential for burglary suggest that maintaining this security requires a proactive approach. Traditional CCTV systems are reactive; they only show you what happened after the fact. scOS provides a proactive alternative by using AI to detect threats at your property's perimeter before a crime occurs. In Fareham, where burglary and vehicle crime are concerns, scOS can offer vital protection. Its ability to monitor all cameras simultaneously and trigger autonomous deterrents like lighting or audio alerts can stop an intruder before they cause damage. By choosing a system that prevents crime rather than just recording it, you can help ensure Fareham remains one of the safest boroughs in the region, even as local trends remain stable.

How To Keep Safe in Fareham

Violence and sexual offences are the most frequent crime type in Fareham, followed by anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. To stay safe and protect your property, consider these tips:

• Retail Awareness: For business owners in Fareham's town centres, ensure your premises have clear sightlines and that high-value items are securely displayed. Shoplifting is a notable crime in the borough.
• Home Security: While burglary rates are low, always ensure your home is fully locked when you are out. Motion-activated lighting can be an effective deterrent for opportunistic intruders.
• Vehicle Care: Vehicle crime is low but present. Always lock your car and avoid leaving any valuables visible inside. Parking in well-lit areas or a garage is recommended.
• Personal Safety: When walking in urban areas, especially after dark, stay alert and stick to well-lit main roads. Avoid distractions like mobile phones or headphones.
• Report Concerns: Reporting anti-social behaviour to the local police helps prevent low-level issues from escalating and maintains the borough's high safety score.