Crime in South West England differs depending on the region, and whether it is a rural or urban setting. South West England crime rates depend on a number of factors. Let’s take a closer look at the crime rates in each area.

1. Bath Crime Rate
2. Barnstaple Crime
3. Cheltenham Crime Rate
4. Cornwall Crime Rate
5. Devon Crime
6. Exeter Crime Rate
7. Gloucester Crime
8. Poole Crime Rate
9. Plymouth Crime
10. Salisbury Crime
11. Crime in Somerset
12. Swindon Crime Rate
13. Taunton Crime
14. Torquay Crime Rate
15. Truro Crime
16. Weston-Super Mare Crime Rate
17. Crime In Weymouth
18. Wiltshire Crime Rate
19. Yeovil Crime

Bath Crime Rate

Bath is ranked as the 25th safest major town within the UK, with around 62 crimes per 1000 people. Compared to the surrounding areas in Somerset, the crime rates are higher, but this may be due to the fact that it is a popular city.  The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, public order offences and shoplifting. The areas of Bath where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

How Safe Is Bath UK?

Bath is ranked as the safest major town within the Somerset County, however, it is important to note that its most common crime is violence towards people, although these figures are still lower than that of the national picture.

Barnstaple Crime

Barnstaple has a crime rate of around 81 crimes per 1000 people, which is much higher than the average crime rate in Devon. The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson, and public order offences. The areas of Barnstaple where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Cheltenham Crime Rate

Cheltenham is ranked as the safest major town within the county, with around 62 crimes per 1000 people. Compared to the surrounding areas in Gloucestershire, the crime rates are higher, but this may be due to the fact that it is a popular city.  The most common crimes in the area were anti-social behaviour, violence, and sexual offences, criminal damage, and arson. The areas of Cheltenham where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Is Cheltenham Safe?

Compared to all major towns within England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Cheltenham is the 23rd safest town in the region, so even though its crime rates are higher than that of other locations in Gloucestershire, it is still seen to be a generally safe place to live.

Cornwall Crime Rate

The Cornwall crime rate is dependent on the particular area of Cornwall. Last year in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, there was a total of 28,266 crimes recorded. The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson, and theft. Crime levels overall have risen slightly in the area for the last three years. The areas of Cornwall where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Is It Safe To Visit Cornwall?

When we think about if an area is safe or not, the most important statistics to look at are the violent crime rates, as these are the crimes where individuals are most likely to be harmed. According to Plumpot, Cornwall has a violent crime rate of 24.3 crimes per 1000 people. This is significantly lower than the national average for the UK.

Devon Crime

If you are looking for a safe region to visit or move to, Devon is ranked within the top 10 safest counties in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales. It has a crime rate of 51 crimes per 1000 people which is lower than many other areas of the UK. The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, and criminal damage. The areas of the county where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Does Devon Have A High Crime Rate?

Compared to other areas of the UK, Devon has a lower crime rate, making it one of the safest areas.

Exeter Crime Rate

With a crime rate of around 64 crimes per 1000 people, Exeter is ranked as the most dangerous town in the region. By far the most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, and anti-social behaviour, followed by criminal damage and arson, and theft. The areas of Exeter where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Gloucester Crime

Gloucester has around 70 crimes per 1000 people, with a rate 34% higher than the Gloucestershire average. The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, public order offences and criminal damage/arson. The areas of Gloucester where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Poole Crime Rate

Poole has a slightly higher crime rate than other towns within the region, with around 61 crimes per 1000 people. The most common crimes in the region by far were violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour, each with over 4000 crimes this year. The areas of Poole where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Plymouth Crime

Plymouth has a crime rate of 76 crimes per 1000 people which is higher than that of the surrounding area. This is in part due to the fact it is an urban setting rather than a rural one.  The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson. The areas of Plymouth where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Is Plymouth A Safe Place To Live?

Plymouth is ranked as the most dangerous city in the county of Devon, which does sound pretty startling at first look. This, however, is all relative as Devon is a safe area. Compared to all of the cities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Plymouth is within the top 20 safest city rankings.

Salisbury Crime

With a crime rate of around 77 crimes per 1000 people, Salisbury is ranked the most dangerous of all medium-sized towns in its county. Compared to the surrounding areas in Wiltshire, the crime rate is around 32% higher. The most common crimes in the area were anti-social behaviour, violence, and sexual offences, theft and criminal damage, and arson. The areas of Salisbury where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Crime In Somerset

The Somerset crime rate is dependent on the particular area within the county. In total within the region, the crime rate was 58 crimes per 1000 people. The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, public order offences and criminal damage. The areas of Somerset where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Somerset West Crime

The west of Somerset is more rural, with many of the larger cities being in the central and south of the region. Therefore, due to a lower population, the crime rate tends to be lower.

Swindon Crime Rate

Swindon’s crime rate sits at around 60 crimes per 1000 people.  Like most locations on our list, the most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, and anti-social behaviour. The areas of Swindon where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Toothill Swindon Crime

Toothill Crime levels are lower than that on the table above, coming in at 9th position for crime rates in the area.

Penhill Swindon Crime

Penhill has the fourth highest crime rate in the area, but the number of reported crimes is less than the table above as it is a less populated location.

Highest Crime Rate In Swindon

As you can see from the table above, Swindon Central North and Central South, and Eastcott have the highest crime rates in Swindon.

Is Swindon A Safe Pace To Live?

Yes, it is, ranking in the list of the top 5 safest cities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Taunton Crime

Of all the towns in Somerset, Taunton is ranked as the most dangerous to live in, with around 89 crimes per 1000 people. This works out at around 35% higher than the regional average.  The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. The areas of Taunton where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Is Taunton A Safe Place To Live?

Compared to other towns in the area such as Bath and Weston-Super-Mare, Taunton is slightly less safe. However, it is important to note that crime rates in the last six months of 2020 decreased dramatically.

Torquay Crime Rate

Torquay has a crime rate of around 101 crimes per 1000 people. Compared to the surrounding areas in Devon, the crime rates are a staggering 49% higher.  The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour, but these rates have been decreasing over time.

Is Torquay Safe?

Torquay is ranked as the most dangerous medium-sized town in Devon, and in the top 40 most dangerous in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Therefore, it is less safe than a number of locations in the country.

Truro Crime

Truro has a crime rate that is almost 41% higher than the Cornwall average, with 73 crimes per 1000 people.  The most common crimes in the area were anti-social behaviour, violence, sexual offences, shoplifting criminal damage, and arson. The areas of Truro where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Weston-Super Mare Crime Rate

Coming in within the top 50 most dangerous major towns in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Weston-Super-Mare has a crime rate of 88 crimes per 1000 people. This is higher than the Somerset average. The most common crimes in the area were violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour with most crimes staying at a similar level throughout recent years. The areas of Western-Super-Mare where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Is Weston-Super Mare A Safe Place To Live?

Instances of violent crime are higher than in other regions but this has not been getting significantly worse over time. General crime rates have been decreasing in recent months, meaning the area is now safer than it was.

What’s Wrong With Weston-Super-Mare?

Although the crime rates are higher than in other areas, they are by no means the worst in the country, and there are some very safe areas within the town.

Crime In Weymouth

Weymouth is ranked in the top 20 most dangerous places out of Dorset’s towns, cities, and villages, with around 66 crimes per 1000 people. Compared to the surrounding areas in Dorset, the crime rates are higher by around 8%.  The most common crimes in the area were anti-social behaviour, followed by violence and sexual offences, and criminal damage and arson. The areas of Weymouth where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Wiltshire Crime Rate

Wiltshire has a crime rate of around 52 crimes per 1000 people, which compares well against other regions in the UK. Some of the most reported crimes in the area include violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, theft, and public order offences. The areas that report the most crimes are listed below:

Is Wiltshire Posh?

Wiltshire is a nice area that has high property prices and lower crime rates compared to other areas in the UK. It is listed as one of the safest counties in the UK, ranking in the top 10. Like any region, however, it has its posher areas and those areas that are less well-off.

Yeovil Crime

Yeovil ranks within the top 25 most dangerous medium-sized towns in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with a crime rate of 111 crimes per 1000 people. Compared to Somerset as a whole, its levels of crime are 48% higher. Over the past year, instances of bicycle theft have decreased, whereas there has been an increase in every other type of crime. The areas of Yeovil where the most crimes are reported are listed below:

Dorset is another popular area in the South West with a high crime rate, check our article to see why the crime in Dorset is rising.  Or head over to our news page so that you can keep up to date with the latest South West news.