Barnstaple is the most dangerous small town in Devon, and is among the top 5 most dangerous overall out of Devon's 403 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Barnstaple in 2021 was 92 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 43% higher than the Devon rate of 52 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Barnstaple is the 112nd most dangerous small town, and the 754th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Barnstaple was the worst small town in Devon for bicycle theft, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.12 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Barnstaple residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous small town for burglary, recording 10 crimes at a rate of 0.41 per 1,000 residents. Barnstaple recorded 25 reports of criminal damage and arson during December 2021, making its crime rate of 1.0 the worst small town for criminal damage and arson in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Barnstaple are violence and sexual offences, with 1,007 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 41. This is 7% higher than 2020's figure of 936 offences and a difference of 2.90 from 2020's crime rate of 38. Barnstaple's least common crime is theft from the person, with 6 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 50% from 2020's figure of 9 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Small Towns, Devon
36% higher, regional crime rate
South West
17% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Barnstaple is 36% higher than the South West and 17% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Barnstaple | |
| South West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Barnstaple represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 92 | 2,250 |
| 2020 | 81 | 1,983 |
| 2019 | 102 | 2,503 |
| 2018 | 106 | 2,594 |
| 2017 | 98 | 2,396 |
| 2016 | 84 | 2,048 |
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| Barnstaple | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 900 | 36.78 | 23,779 | 19.81 | 46% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 34 | 1.39 | 336 | 0.28 | 80% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 114 | 4.66 | 2,114 | 1.76 | 62% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 298 | 12.18 | 7,956 | 6.63 | 46% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 147 | 6.01 | 2,929 | 2.44 | 59% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 34 | 1.39 | 1,709 | 1.42 | 2.2% safer |
| Other Theft | 114 | 4.66 | 4,111 | 3.43 | 26% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 22 | 0.90 | 777 | 0.65 | 28% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 185 | 7.56 | 5,058 | 4.21 | 44% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.45 | 380 | 0.32 | 29% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 203 | 8.30 | 2,932 | 2.44 | 71% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 6 | 0.25 | 312 | 0.26 | 4.0% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 75 | 3.06 | 2,019 | 1.68 | 45% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,007 | 41.15 | 31,910 | 26.59 | 35% more dangerous |
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawlish | 720 | 47.34 | 94% safer |
| Totnes | 396 | 48.24 | 91% safer |
| Bideford | 938 | 51.25 | 79% safer |
| Tiverton | 1,251 | 55.76 | 65% safer |
| Ilfracombe | 696 | 61.67 | 49% safer |
| Barnstaple | 2,250 | 91.95 | - |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Parking Area | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Gould Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Broadgate Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Trinity Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Shopping Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Roborough Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near Parking Area | Offender given a caution |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near John Gay Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Pilton Lawn | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near John Gay Road | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Prospect Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near The Square | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Possession of weapons | On or near Shopping Area | Formal action is not in the public interest |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near B3149 | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Littlefield Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Shopping Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Trafalgar Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 44 | 35 | 35 | 37 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.6 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 4.7 | Getting worse |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 13 | 14 | 10 | 12 | Safer |
| Drugs | 6 | 7 | 4.8 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 10 | 9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.90 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.41 | 0.61 | 0.41 | 0.45 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 13 | 9 | 6 | 8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.2 | 0.78 | 0.37 | 0.25 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 3.1 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 43 | 41 | 38 | 41 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Barnstaple that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Park | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 8 | 2 | 1.7 |
| Tarka Tennis Centre | 11 | 1 | 5 | - | 3 | 18 | 34 |
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 37% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 11% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 2.1% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 1.6% safer |
| Barnstaple | 91.95 | - |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 10% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 18% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 25% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 29% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 30% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 39% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstaple Central | 900 | 142 | First |
| Barnstaple Pilton | 408 | 70 | Third |
| Barnstaple South | 627 | 71 | Second |
| Barnstaple Sticklepath | 355 | 60 | Fourth |
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Barnstaple Sticklepath (118) | Barnstaple Central (421) |
| Bicycle Theft | Barnstaple South (5) | Barnstaple Central (12) |
| Burglary | Barnstaple South (14) | Barnstaple Central (50) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Barnstaple Sticklepath (44) | Barnstaple Central (130) |
| Drugs | Barnstaple South (27) | Barnstaple Central (84) |
| Other Crime | Barnstaple Central (8) | Barnstaple South (13) |
| Other Theft | Barnstaple South (31) | Barnstaple Central (40) |
| Possession of Weapons | Barnstaple Sticklepath (3) | Barnstaple Central (7) |
| Public Order | Barnstaple Sticklepath (18) | Barnstaple Central (88) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Barnstaple Sticklepath (1) | Barnstaple Central (4) |
| Shoplifting | Barnstaple Pilton (17) | Barnstaple Central (86) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Barnstaple Pilton (1) | Barnstaple Central (5) |
| Vehicle Crime | Barnstaple Central (14) | Barnstaple Sticklepath (20) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Barnstaple Sticklepath (131) | Barnstaple Central (372) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Barnstaple change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in September, when Barnstaple saw a 400% increase in possession of weapons. Barnstaple saw a large fall in burglary during September, when it fell by 93% compared to September in 2019. Rates of other theft and shoplifting both fell year-on-year for every month during Barnstaple's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +13% | +24% | -9% | +3% | +26% | -20% | +9% | +55% | -22% | +84% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | +100% | -50% | -33% | -71% | -50% | -80% | - | - | +33% |
| Burglary | -44% | -33% | -78% | +75% | +40% | -78% | -93% | -44% | +43% | -50% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -67% | -23% | -49% | -53% | +44% | -5% | +3% | -47% | +13% | -11% |
| Drugs | -25% | -19% | -54% | -52% | +50% | -39% | -7% | - | -38% | -15% |
| Other Crime | -25% | -75% | +33% | -50% | +100% | - | -86% | -25% | +33% | +200% |
| Other Theft | -57% | -50% | -44% | -47% | -74% | -50% | -44% | +33% | -75% | -8% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | -80% | +50% | -17% | +400% | -50% | -83% | -50% |
| Public Order | - | +70% | -41% | -48% | +63% | -22% | +71% | -59% | -53% | -27% |
| Robbery | - | - | -50% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | -37% | -78% | +20% | -57% | -91% | -28% | -21% | -30% | -28% | -27% |
| Theft From the Person | -67% | - | - | - | -75% | - | -50% | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -43% | - | -78% | -60% | -33% | -82% | -60% | +20% | -25% | +67% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -22% | -25% | -24% | -30% | -1% | +7% | +43% | +14% | -22% | +2% |
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