Barnstaple Crime Overview
Barnstaple is the most dangerous small town in Devon, and is the third most dangerous overall out of Devon's 430 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Barnstaple in 2020 was 81 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 37% higher than the Devon rate of 51 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Barnstaple is the 119th most dangerous small town, and the 958th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Barnstaple was the worst small town in Devon for bicycle theft, with 4 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.16 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Barnstaple residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous small town for criminal damage and arson, recording 24 crimes at a rate of 0.98 per 1,000 residents. Barnstaple recorded 11 reports of drugs during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.45 the worst small town for drugs in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Barnstaple are violence and sexual offences, with 936 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 38. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 1,000 offences and a difference of 2.61 from 2019's crime rate of 41. Barnstaple's least common crime is theft from the person, with 9 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 111% from 2019's figure of 19 crimes.
Compare Barnstaple to other towns and cities
See how Barnstaple shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Barnstaple and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Barnstaple Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Barnstaple This Year
| Barnstaple | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 845 | 34.53 | 28,259 | 23.54 | 32% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 31 | 1.27 | 439 | 0.37 | 71% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 73 | 2.98 | 2,644 | 2.20 | 26% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 257 | 10.50 | 8,119 | 6.76 | 36% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 118 | 4.82 | 3,313 | 2.76 | 43% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 32 | 1.31 | 1,615 | 1.35 | 3.1% safer |
| Other Theft | 115 | 4.70 | 4,370 | 3.64 | 23% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 28 | 1.14 | 839 | 0.70 | 39% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 196 | 8.01 | 4,841 | 4.03 | 50% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.41 | 387 | 0.32 | 22% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 135 | 5.52 | 2,897 | 2.41 | 56% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 9 | 0.37 | 275 | 0.23 | 38% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 43 | 1.76 | 2,262 | 1.88 | 7% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 936 | 38.25 | 29,573 | 24.64 | 36% more dangerous |
Crime in Barnstaple Compared To Devon
Barnstaple Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiverton | 1,054 | 46.98 | 72% safer |
| Crediton | 400 | 50.47 | 61% safer |
| Bideford | 1,087 | 59.39 | 36% safer |
| Totnes | 508 | 61.88 | 31% safer |
| Ilfracombe | 720 | 63.80 | 27% safer |
| Barnstaple | 1,983 | 81.03 | - |
Barnstaple Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 41 | 44 | 35 | 35 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.7 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Burglary | 5 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 3.0 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 13 | 13 | 14 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.5 | 6 | 7 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4.7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.86 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.61 | 0.41 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 13 | 9 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.65 | 1.2 | 0.78 | 0.37 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 37 | 43 | 41 | 38 | Safer |
Changes In Barnstaple's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Barnstaple to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 20% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 4.7% safer |
| Barnstaple | 81.03 | - |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 2.6% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 6% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 6% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 17% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 21% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 24% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 39% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 41% more dangerous |
Crime in Barnstaple's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstaple Central | 844 | 133 | First |
| Barnstaple Pilton | 351 | 60 | Second |
| Barnstaple South | 522 | 59 | Third |
| Barnstaple Sticklepath | 333 | 56 | Fourth |
Barnstaple Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Barnstaple for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Barnstaple South (221) | Barnstaple Central (347) |
| Bicycle Theft | Barnstaple Pilton (3) | Barnstaple Sticklepath (12) |
| Burglary | Barnstaple Pilton (6) | Barnstaple Central (34) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Barnstaple Sticklepath (39) | Barnstaple Central (97) |
| Drugs | Barnstaple South (24) | Barnstaple Central (65) |
| Other Crime | Barnstaple Sticklepath (5) | Barnstaple Central (10) |
| Other Theft | Barnstaple South (29) | Barnstaple Central (47) |
| Possession of Weapons | Barnstaple Sticklepath (2) | Barnstaple Central (11) |
| Public Order | Barnstaple South (52) | Barnstaple Central (76) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Barnstaple Sticklepath (1) | Barnstaple Central (7) |
| Shoplifting | Barnstaple Pilton (5) | Barnstaple Central (70) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Barnstaple South (2) | Barnstaple Central (7) |
| Vehicle Crime | Barnstaple South (9) | Barnstaple Pilton (14) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Barnstaple Sticklepath (137) | Barnstaple Central (399) |
Crime in Barnstaple During Coronavirus Lockdowns
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Barnstaple
What police force serves Barnstaple?
Barnstaple's local territorial police force is the Devon & Cornwall Police.How dangerous is Barnstaple?
Barnstaple is the most dangerous small town in Devon.What is Barnstaple's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Barnstaple are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Barnstaple?
Barnstaple's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021