Police have announced crime statistics are continuing to fall in Dorset, despite the county experiencing a rise in robbery offences higher than the national average.
According to Dorset Police, new figures from the Office for National Statistics show a seven per cent drop in total crime between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. This is greater than the average national decrease for the same period, which was reportedly 0.7 percent.
Deputy chief constable Steve Lyne of Dorset Police said: "I am pleased to see that crime continues to fall and that Dorset remains one of the safest areas in the country."
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The published figures have highlighted a reduction across several types of crime, including an 8.8 per cent decrease in business burglaries and a 9.4 per cent drop in residential burglaries.
However, not all trends were positive, as robbery offences in Dorset reportedly rose by 23.6 per cent. This is a 13.9 per cent increase compared to the overall national increase, which stands at 9.7 percent.
Mr Lyne said this was expected due to changes in crime recording methods, particularly those that now capture offences against businesses more accurately.
He said: "We recognise the impact these offences have on victims and are committed to working closely with our partners to prevent offending, target those responsible for repeat crimes and strengthen the way we respond to and investigate offences."
In the same report, victim-based crime fell by 6.7 per cent, with violence against the person down by seven per cent and violent offences involving injury dropping by 10.7 per cent.
Dorset Police's Neighbourhood Crime Team have been credited in this fall, for "playing a key role" in identifying offenders, gathering evidence and protecting the public.
Mr Lyne added: "Through continued investment in neighbourhood policing, partnership working and dedicated investigative teams, we are strengthening our response to burglary and supporting victims throughout the process."
The force also reported a nearly 18 percent rise in positive outcomes for shoplifting cases, reflecting its focus on retail crime and rapid response through its Incident Resolution Centre.
Dorset police and crime commissioner David Sidwick said: "I am delighted that Dorset remains one of the safest places in the country with the latest figures showing a positive downwards trend on crime and a reduction of nearly 4,000 offences, which means 4,000 less victims."
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