Prestons

Christchurch CityCanterbury Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

100

Crime rate

149.5 per 1,000

Population 2,307

Total crimes (past 12 months)

345

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 23.7%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#37 / 331

Top 11%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Prestons Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (84.9%) and burglary (10.8%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Prestons is 149.545 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 37 within Canterbury Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2023, Jul 2024, Dec 2024.

Crime activity peaked in December 2023, July 2024, and December 2024.

Prestons crime statistics: common questions

Is Prestons safe?

Prestons recorded 345 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 149.5 per 1,000 residents across about 2,307 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Prestons?

The crime rate in Prestons is 149.5 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 345 recorded offences across about 2,307 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Prestons?

The most common offence category in Prestons is theft, with 948 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 84% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (129).

Is crime going up or down in Prestons?

Recorded offences in Prestons have fallen 23.7% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Prestons compare with other suburbs in Canterbury Region?

Prestons ranks 37 of 331 suburbs in Canterbury Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Prestons only with other suburbs in Canterbury Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Prestons come from?

Figures for Prestons, Christchurch City come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.

Looking for a plain-English safety summary?

👉 See how safe Prestons is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz