Bristol Crime Overview
Bristol is the most dangerous major city in the South West, and among the top 5 safest overall out of the UK's major cities. The overall crime rate in Bristol in 2020 was 92 crimes per 1,000 people.
In November 2020, Bristol had the worst crime rate in the South West for bicycle theft, with 146 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.32 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2020 was also a bad month for Bristol residents, when it was the South West's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 245 crimes at a rate of 0.53 per 1,000 residents. Bristol recorded 503 reports of criminal damage and arson during November 2020, making its crime rate of 1.1 the worst for criminal damage and arson in the South West that month.
The most common crimes in Bristol are violence and sexual offences, with 14,765 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 32. This is 5% lower than 2019's figure of 15,546 offences and a difference of 1.69 from 2019's crime rate of 34. Bristol's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 282 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 11% from 2019's figure of 312 crimes.
Bristol Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Bristol This Year
| Bristol | ||
|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 13,032 | 28.12 |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,569 | 3.39 |
| Burglary | 2,438 | 5.26 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 4,767 | 10.29 |
| Drugs | 1,095 | 2.36 |
| Other Crime | 686 | 1.48 |
| Other Theft | 3,280 | 7.08 |
| Possession of Weapons | 282 | 0.61 |
| Public Order | 6,490 | 14.01 |
| Robbery | 769 | 1.66 |
| Shoplifting | 2,327 | 5.02 |
| Theft From the Person | 423 | 0.91 |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,541 | 7.64 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 14,765 | 31.86 |
Bristol Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 32 | 32 | 30 | 28 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | Safer |
| Burglary | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.51 | 0.56 | 0.67 | 0.61 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | Getting worse |
| Robbery | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.91 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 32 | 33 | 34 | 32 | Safer |
Comparing Bristol to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Cities | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 71.50 | 28% safer |
| Sheffield | 73.99 | 24% safer |
| Kirklees | 74.23 | 23% safer |
| Croydon | 77.18 | 19% safer |
| Bradford | 79.19 | 16% safer |
| London | 80.70 | 13% safer |
| Birmingham | 89.02 | 2.9% safer |
| Bristol | 91.57 | - |
| Leeds | 91.90 | 0.36% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 102.51 | 11% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 105.94 | 14% more dangerous |
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 the South West.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: 18 Feb 2021