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 109 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 235 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
Summary of Crimes in Bristol This Year
| Bristol | Bristol | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 14,983 | 25.96 | 14,983 | 32.34 | 25% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,733 | 3.00 | 1,733 | 3.74 | 25% safer |
| Burglary | 2,913 | 5.05 | 2,913 | 6.29 | 25% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 5,665 | 9.81 | 5,665 | 12.23 | 25% safer |
| Drugs | 1,226 | 2.12 | 1,226 | 2.65 | 25% safer |
| Other Crime | 785 | 1.36 | 785 | 1.69 | 24% safer |
| Other Theft | 3,816 | 6.61 | 3,816 | 8.24 | 25% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 319 | 0.55 | 319 | 0.69 | 25% safer |
| Public Order | 7,412 | 12.84 | 7,412 | 16.00 | 25% safer |
| Robbery | 839 | 1.45 | 839 | 1.81 | 25% safer |
| Shoplifting | 2,794 | 4.84 | 2,794 | 6.03 | 25% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 474 | 0.82 | 474 | 1.02 | 24% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4,158 | 7.20 | 4,158 | 8.97 | 25% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 17,628 | 30.54 | 17,628 | 38.04 | 25% safer |
Bristol Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 28 | 28 | 26 | 26 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.56 | 0.55 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 7 | 7 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.82 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 28 | 29 | 29 | 31 | Getting worse |
Changes In Bristol's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Bristol to the UK's Major Cities
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.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton | 483 | 71 | 33rd |
| Barton Hill | 1,117 | 136 | Eighth |
| Bedminster | 1,740 | 175 | Fourth |
| Bishopston | 829 | 65 | 42nd |
| Bishopsworth | 372 | 63 | 44th |
| Brislington | 688 | 105 | 19th |
| Bristol City Centre | 4,333 | 229 | First |
| Broom Hill | 541 | 71 | 32nd |
| Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate | 347 | 34 | 62nd |
| Cadbury Heath South & North Common | 393 | 37 | 58th |
| Clifton East | 545 | 60 | 46th |
| Clifton Village | 335 | 54 | 49th |
| Cotham | 479 | 53 | 52nd |
| Crews Hole | 366 | 63 | 43rd |
| Downend North | 159 | 26 | 64th |
| Downend South | 357 | 54 | 50th |
| Eastville | 904 | 116 | 14th |
| Emersons Green | 476 | 39 | 56th |
| Fishponds North | 1,270 | 131 | 12th |
| Fishponds South | 496 | 78 | 27th |
| Hanham | 487 | 53 | 53rd |
| Hartcliffe | 1,225 | 172 | Fifth |
| Headley Park | 710 | 116 | 15th |
| Hengrove | 797 | 88 | 22nd |
| Henleaze | 209 | 35 | 61st |
| Highridge | 628 | 104 | 20th |
| Horfield | 458 | 61 | 45th |
| Hotwells | 397 | 53 | 51st |
| Kingsdown & Stokes Croft | 1,833 | 178 | Third |
| Kingswood North East | 546 | 70 | 34th |
| Kingswood South | 633 | 67 | 38th |
| Knowle | 908 | 108 | 17th |
| Knowle Park | 572 | 70 | 35th |
| Knowle West | 1,115 | 148 | Sixth |
| Lawrence Weston | 1,020 | 123 | 13th |
| Longwell Green & Oldland Common | 363 | 36 | 60th |
| Lower Easton | 976 | 110 | 16th |
| Mangotsfield | 308 | 46 | 54th |
| Monks Park | 878 | 131 | 11th |
| Redfield | 1,049 | 106 | 18th |
| Redland & St Andrew's | 600 | 56 | 48th |
| Sea Mills | 438 | 74 | 28th |
| Shirehampton & Avonmouth | 855 | 87 | 23rd |
| Southmead | 1,111 | 93 | 21st |
| Southville | 803 | 72 | 31st |
| Speedwell | 669 | 82 | 24th |
| St Annes | 667 | 68 | 37th |
| St George | 681 | 78 | 26th |
| St Paul's | 1,786 | 133 | Tenth |
| Staple Hill North | 416 | 58 | 47th |
| Staple Hill South & Kingswood North West | 809 | 81 | 25th |
| Stapleton | 436 | 65 | 40th |
| Stoke Bishop | 350 | 37 | 57th |
| Temple Meads | 2,157 | 222 | Second |
| Totterdown | 465 | 65 | 39th |
| Two Mile Hill | 424 | 65 | 41st |
| Upper Easton | 963 | 133 | Ninth |
| Upper Horfield | 573 | 70 | 36th |
| Westbury on Trym | 208 | 32 | 63rd |
| Westbury Park | 315 | 37 | 59th |
| Westbury Village | 449 | 74 | 29th |
| Whitchurch Park | 294 | 43 | 55th |
| Windmill Hill | 542 | 73 | 30th |
| Withywood | 866 | 147 | Seventh |
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 Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Westbury Park (51) | Bristol City Centre (2,084) |
| Bicycle Theft | Downend North (1) | Bristol City Centre (450) |
| Burglary | Downend North (10) | Temple Meads (109) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Crews Hole (20) | Knowle West (206) |
| Drugs | Downend North (2) | Temple Meads (115) |
| Other Crime | Stoke Bishop (1) | Bishopston (63) |
| Other Theft | Downend North (7) | Bristol City Centre (443) |
| Possession of Weapons | Southville (1) | Temple Meads (25) |
| Public Order | Westbury Park (17) | Temple Meads (393) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Cadbury Heath North & Bridgeyate (1) | Bristol City Centre (136) |
| Shoplifting | Cadbury Heath South & North Common (1) | Bedminster (222) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Bishopston (1) | Bristol City Centre (110) |
| Vehicle Crime | Mangotsfield (15) | Bedminster (147) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Westbury 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.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -3% | -11% | -1% | +12% | -1% | +34% | - | -6% | -5% | -7% |
| Bicycle Theft | -30% | -38% | -17% | - | +26% | +3% | +8% | +47% | +18% | +45% |
| Burglary | 0% | -35% | -40% | -20% | +6% | +2% | -19% | -24% | +2% | -16% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -7% | -17% | -28% | -13% | +1% | +12% | +7% | +35% | +4% | -9% |
| Drugs | +42% | +30% | +77% | +33% | +16% | -6% | -14% | -3% | -9% | -14% |
| Other Crime | +44% | +33% | +20% | +23% | +26% | +38% | +29% | +46% | +20% | -24% |
| Other Theft | -24% | -39% | -39% | -36% | -13% | -18% | -16% | -21% | -16% | -25% |
| Possession of Weapons | -34% | +15% | +32% | -16% | +82% | -32% | -6% | +35% | -34% | - |
| Public Order | +1% | -9% | +7% | -5% | 0% | +29% | -2% | -1% | -6% | -6% |
| Robbery | +13% | -23% | -40% | -9% | +38% | +59% | - | -37% | -11% | -31% |
| Shoplifting | -26% | -49% | -53% | -38% | -25% | -18% | -21% | -28% | -21% | -10% |
| Theft From the Person | +18% | -69% | -49% | -49% | -47% | -40% | -26% | -41% | -52% | -32% |
| Vehicle Crime | -25% | -47% | -51% | -50% | -1% | -7% | -19% | -1% | +11% | +7% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +3% | -9% | +3% | +3% | +7% | +31% | +2% | -2% | -6% | -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: 01 Apr 2021