Bristol Crime Overview

Bristol is the most dangerous major city in Bristol, and is the most dangerous overall out of Bristol's 1 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Bristol in 2020 was 86 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Bristol's overall crime rate, coming in 25% lower than the Bristol rate of 107 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bristol is the second safest major city, and the 799th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

In December 2020, Bristol had the worst crime rate in Bristol for bicycle theft, with 110 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.19 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Bristol residents, when it was Bristol's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 236 crimes at a rate of 0.41 per 1,000 residents. Bristol recorded 439 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.76 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Bristol that month.

The most common crimes in Bristol are violence and sexual offences, with 17,628 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 31. This is 4.2% higher than 2019's figure of 16,893 offences and a difference of 1.28 from 2019's crime rate of 29. Bristol's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 319 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 0.94% from 2019's figure of 322 crimes.

Compare Bristol to other towns and cities

See how Bristol shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Bristol and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.

Bristol Crime Map

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Crime in Bristol Compared To Bristol

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Summary of Crimes in Bristol This Year

 BristolBristol 
CrimeCountRateCountRateRate Difference
Anti-Social Behaviour14,98325.9614,98332.3425% safer
Bicycle Theft1,7333.001,7333.7425% safer
Burglary2,9135.052,9136.2925% safer
Criminal Damage and Arson5,6659.815,66512.2325% safer
Drugs1,2262.121,2262.6525% safer
Other Crime7851.367851.6924% safer
Other Theft3,8166.613,8168.2425% safer
Possession of Weapons3190.553190.6925% safer
Public Order7,41212.847,41216.0025% safer
Robbery8391.458391.8125% safer
Shoplifting2,7944.842,7946.0325% safer
Theft From the Person4740.824741.0224% safer
Vehicle Crime4,1587.204,1588.9725% safer
Violence and Sexual Offences17,62830.5417,62838.0425% safer

Crime Over Time in Bristol

View crime percentage over time for

Recent Crimes in Bristol

DateCrime TypeLocationOutcome
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021ShopliftingOn or near SupermarketUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Courtney WayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near Easton WayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Public orderOn or near Easton WayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Easton WayUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Richeson CloseUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Richeson CloseUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Other theftOn or near Princess RowUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Princess RowUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Margate StreetUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Other theftOn or near High StreetUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Public orderOn or near Timsbury RoadFormal action is not in the public interest
November 2021Public orderOn or near Timsbury RoadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Public orderOn or near Regent RoadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Public orderOn or near Regent RoadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Public orderOn or near Regent RoadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Regent RoadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Other crimeOn or near Regent RoadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Chaplin RoadUnable to prosecute suspect

Bristol Crime Trends

 Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents 
Crime2017201820192020Trend
Anti-Social Behaviour28282626Safer
Bicycle Theft2.93.12.93.0Getting worse
Burglary9765Safer
Criminal Damage and Arson10101010Getting worse
Drugs1.41.51.82.1Getting worse
Other Crime1.31.11.21.4Getting worse
Other Theft9987Safer
Possession of Weapons0.430.460.560.55Getting worse
Public Order12111213Getting worse
Robbery (inc. mugging)1.21.31.51.4Getting worse
Shoplifting8774.8Safer
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)1.01.01.10.82Safer
Vehicle Crime10887Safer
Violence and Sexual Offences28292931Getting worse

Changes In Bristol's Crime Rates Over Time

Offences in Bristol's Green Spaces

We only display green spaces in Bristol that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.

NameASBDrugsPublic OrderRobberyVSOAll OthersCrimes per Hectare
Barton Fields3--1200.92
Broad Plain11-1-104.2
Coronation Park2----21.1
Counterslip Baptist Church411--013
Doncaster Road Park6-2-364.5
Gore's Marsh Park1---243.3
Kingswood Rugby Football Club5-2--21.8
Knowle Cricket Club-----10.55
Lees Hill Playing Field1----00.33
Marksbury Road Open Space14-415412
Mowberry Road Open Space----101.2
Netham Park20-11632.0
Nover's Common8-1-142.0
Oldbury Court Estate2512-420.63
Ridgeway Playing Fields7-2--30.98
Salcombe Road Open Space813-1512
South Street Park1-1-135
Southey Playing Field18-31216
St George's Park28-9613124.5
Walker Playing Field1---100.38

Comparing Bristol to the UK's Major Cities

Major CityCrime RateRate Difference
Barnet67.7127% safer
Coventry77.4111% safer
Croydon83.223.6% safer
Sheffield85.810.47% safer
Bristol86.21-
Leicester97.4412% more dangerous
Birmingham102.8716% more dangerous
Liverpool107.2820% more dangerous
Bradford133.0235% more dangerous
Leeds137.1037% more dangerous

Crime in Bristol's Neighbourhoods

Bristol City Centre is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Bristol, followed by Temple Meads in second place, and Kingsdown & Stokes Croft as the third most dangerous area. Bristol's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate, Downend North, and Westbury on Trym.

NeighbourhoodCrime CountCrime RateDanger Rank
Ashton4837133rd
Barton Hill1,117136Eighth
Bedminster1,740175Fourth
Bishopston8296542nd
Bishopsworth3726344th
Brislington68810519th
Bristol City Centre4,333229First
Broom Hill5417132nd
Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate3473462nd
Cadbury Heath South & North Common3933758th
Clifton East5456046th
Clifton Village3355449th
Cotham4795352nd
Crews Hole3666343rd
Downend North1592664th
Downend South3575450th
Eastville90411614th
Emersons Green4763956th
Fishponds North1,27013112th
Fishponds South4967827th
Hanham4875353rd
Hartcliffe1,225172Fifth
Headley Park71011615th
Hengrove7978822nd
Henleaze2093561st
Highridge62810420th
Horfield4586145th
Hotwells3975351st
Kingsdown & Stokes Croft1,833178Third
Kingswood North East5467034th
Kingswood South6336738th
Knowle90810817th
Knowle Park5727035th
Knowle West1,115148Sixth
Lawrence Weston1,02012313th
Longwell Green & Oldland Common3633660th
Lower Easton97611016th
Mangotsfield3084654th
Monks Park87813111th
Redfield1,04910618th
Redland & St Andrew's6005648th
Sea Mills4387428th
Shirehampton & Avonmouth8558723rd
Southmead1,1119321st
Southville8037231st
Speedwell6698224th
St Annes6676837th
St George6817826th
St Paul's1,786133Tenth
Staple Hill North4165847th
Staple Hill South & Kingswood North West8098125th
Stapleton4366540th
Stoke Bishop3503757th
Temple Meads2,157222Second
Totterdown4656539th
Two Mile Hill4246541st
Upper Easton963133Ninth
Upper Horfield5737036th
Westbury on Trym2083263rd
Westbury Park3153759th
Westbury Village4497429th
Whitchurch Park2944355th
Windmill Hill5427330th
Withywood866147Seventh

Bristol Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown

Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Bristol for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.

Crime TypeSafest NeighbourhoodMost Dangerous Neighbourhood
Anti-Social BehaviourWestbury Park (51)Bristol City Centre (2,084)
Bicycle TheftDownend North (1)Bristol City Centre (450)
BurglaryDownend North (10)Temple Meads (109)
Criminal Damage and ArsonCrews Hole (20)Knowle West (206)
DrugsDownend North (2)Temple Meads (115)
Other CrimeStoke Bishop (1)Bishopston (63)
Other TheftDownend North (7)Bristol City Centre (443)
Possession of WeaponsSouthville (1)Temple Meads (25)
Public OrderWestbury Park (17)Temple Meads (393)
Robbery (inc. mugging)Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate (1)Bristol City Centre (136)
ShopliftingCadbury Heath South & North Common (1)Bedminster (222)
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)Bishopston (1)Bristol City Centre (110)
Vehicle CrimeMangotsfield (15)Bedminster (147)
Violence and Sexual OffencesWestbury Park (50)Hartcliffe (584)

Crime in Bristol During Coronavirus Lockdowns

Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Bristol change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Bristol saw a 82% increase in possession of weapons. Bristol saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 69% compared to April in 2019. Theft From the Person saw a fall in every month of Bristol's lockdown.

CrimeMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Anti-Social Behaviour-3%-12%-1%+11%0%+34%+1%-6%-5%-6%
Bicycle Theft-30%-38%-17%-+26%+3%+8%+47%+18%+47%
Burglary+1%-35%-40%-21%+8%+3%-19%-24%+3%-16%
Criminal Damage and Arson-7%-18%-28%-14%+1%+11%+7%+35%+5%-9%
Drugs+42%+30%+79%+35%+16%-6%-14%-6%-9%-11%
Other Crime+46%+33%+20%+23%+26%+38%+29%+46%+20%-24%
Other Theft-25%-39%-39%-35%-13%-18%-16%-21%-15%-25%
Possession of Weapons-32%+15%+32%-16%+82%-32%-6%+35%-34%-
Public Order+0%-9%+6%-5%+1%+28%-1%0%-6%-6%
Robbery+14%-24%-40%-6%+41%+60%+1%-37%-11%-27%
Shoplifting-25%-48%-53%-36%-23%-20%-20%-25%-20%-11%
Theft From the Person+18%-69%-49%-49%-47%-40%-26%-41%-52%-32%
Vehicle Crime-24%-46%-51%-50%-1%-7%-19%-1%+10%+6%
Violence and Sexual Offences+3%-9%+3%+3%+7%+31%+2%-2%-5%-4%

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Bristol

What police force serves Bristol?
Bristol's local territorial police force is the Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
How dangerous is Bristol?
Bristol is the most dangerous major city in Bristol.
What is Bristol's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Bristol are violence and sexual offences.
What is the least common crime in Bristol?
Bristol's least common crimes are possession of weapons.

Last updated: 31 Dec 2021