What Happened in Bellingham on Wednesday, January 28th, 2026
Yesterday in Bellingham, police responded to 35 incidents, down 34% from 53 the day before. 3 violent crimes were reported, and officers made 7 arrests.
The most common incident type was Other Non-criminal, accounting for 8 of 35 reports (23% of total). The most active neighborhood was Meridian with 7 incidents.
Overall activity was 23% below the 30-day average of 45 incidents per day.
Incident Categories
Yesterday, Bellingham reported incidents across 8 categories. Other Non-criminal led with 8 incidents (23% of total), followed by Theft with 6 and Suspicious Circumstance with 3.
Trespass — up 500% over the past 7 days (6 incidents this week vs 1 the prior week).
Incident Category Breakdown
What's in “Other Non-criminal”?
Overview
Violent Crime
3 violent crimes were reported in Bellingham yesterday, accounting for 9% of all incidents. This is down 40% from the prior day.
| Time | Offense | Neighborhood | Block |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:36 | ASSAULT - Misdemeanor | Meridian | 4000 Meridian St |
| 16:21 | THREATS | Happy Valley | 2300 Larrabee Ave |
| 20:23 | ASSAULT - Misdemeanor | Puget | 1200 Whatcom St |
Arrests
Bellingham police made 7 arrests yesterday, involving 7 individuals. 2 arrests were related to violent incidents.
Arrests accounted for 20% of all incidents. Of the 7 arrests, 2 were Warrant Arrest, 2 were Assault — Misdemeanor, and 2 were Theft. This is down 36% from the 11 arrests the prior day.
| Time | Offense | Category | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:39 | WARRANT ARREST | Warrant Arrest | Downtown |
| 13:36 | ASSAULT - Misdemeanor | Assault — MisdemeanorViolent | Meridian |
| 15:45 | SHOPLIFTING | Theft | Puget |
| 17:35 | TRESPASS | Trespass | Puget |
| 19:48 | THEFT | Theft | Meridian |
| View All | |||
Neighborhood Activity
Yesterday, incidents were reported across 13 neighborhoods in Bellingham. Meridian had the highest activity with 7 incidents, followed by Downtown with 6 and Puget with 5.
1 specific location has appeared in the top 10 most active blocks for 4 or more of the last 7 days, including 500 Grand Ave (5 of 7 days).
Explore all neighborhoods and their trends in Bellingham Neighborhood Safety. →
Hourly Breakdown
Activity in Bellingham yesterday peaked between 5 PM – 6 PM with 6 incidents during that hour. The quietest period was 12am with no incidents reported.
Overnight (12–6 AM) saw 1 incident, morning (6 AM–12 PM) had 5, afternoon (12–6 PM) had 22, and evening (6 PM–12 AM) had 7. Afternoon was the busiest period overall.
Wednesdays in Bellingham typically average 43 incidents. Yesterday's total of 35 is 8 incidents below that 8-week average (19% lower).
How Does This Compare?
The 7-day rolling average is 46.9 incidents per day, above the 30-day average of 45.3 — suggesting a busier-than-normal stretch.
Key Patterns
This Week Is Pacing Lower Than Last
Through Wednesday (3 days), this week has recorded 133 incidents — 24% fewer than the 174 reported at the same point last week. The current pace suggests this week may finish below last week.
Trespass Up 500% This Week
Trespass incidents have risen sharply: 6 in the past 7 days compared to 1 the prior 7 days — a 500% increase.
Full Incident Log
This log contains all 35 incidents reported to the Bellingham Police Department on Wednesday, January 28th, 2026. Published Thursday, January 29th, 2026.
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