Exeter Crime Overview
Exeter is the most dangerous major town in Devon, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Devon's 430 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Exeter in 2020 was 64 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 20% higher than the Devon rate of 51 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Exeter is the 28th safest major town, and the 1,800th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Exeter had the worst crime rate in Devon for bicycle theft, with 14 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.11 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Exeter residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous area for other crime, recording 40 crimes at a rate of 0.32 per 1,000 residents. Exeter recorded 8 reports of theft from the person during August 2020, making its crime rate of 0.06 the worst for theft from the person in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Exeter are violence and sexual offences, with 3,579 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 28. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 3,813 offences and a difference of 1.86 from 2019's crime rate of 30. Exeter's least common crime is robbery, with 44 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 93% from 2019's figure of 85 crimes.
Compare Exeter to other towns and cities
See how Exeter shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Exeter and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Exeter Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Exeter This Year
| Exeter | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 3,861 | 30.69 | 28,259 | 23.54 | 23% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 125 | 0.99 | 439 | 0.37 | 63% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 266 | 2.11 | 2,644 | 2.20 | 4.3% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 919 | 7.30 | 8,119 | 6.76 | 7% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 480 | 3.82 | 3,313 | 2.76 | 28% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 467 | 3.71 | 1,615 | 1.35 | 64% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 551 | 4.38 | 4,370 | 3.64 | 17% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 118 | 0.94 | 839 | 0.70 | 26% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 748 | 5.95 | 4,841 | 4.03 | 32% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 44 | 0.35 | 387 | 0.32 | 9% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 392 | 3.12 | 2,897 | 2.41 | 23% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 60 | 0.48 | 275 | 0.23 | 52% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 309 | 2.46 | 2,262 | 1.88 | 24% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,579 | 28.45 | 29,573 | 24.64 | 13% more dangerous |
Crime in Exeter Compared To Devon
Exeter Compared to Nearby Major Towns
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paignton | 3,990 | 59.67 | 7% safer |
| Exeter | 8,058 | 64.04 | - |
Exeter Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 32 | 30 | 26 | 31 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.99 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.7 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.62 | 0.74 | 0.91 | 0.94 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.41 | 0.60 | 0.68 | 0.35 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3.1 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.81 | 0.48 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 27 | 32 | 30 | 28 | Safer |
Changes In Exeter's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Exeter to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Exeter | 64.04 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 5% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 17% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 23% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 25% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 26% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 34% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 38% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 40% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 52% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 53% more dangerous |
Crime in Exeter's Neighbourhoods
Central Exeter is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Exeter, followed by Wonford & St Loye's in second place, and St Thomas East as the third most dangerous area. Exeter's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Exwick & Foxhayes, Heavitree West & Polsloe, and St Thomas West.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphington & Marsh Barton | 450 | 61 | Sixth |
| Central Exeter | 2,228 | 184 | First |
| Exwick & Foxhayes | 285 | 38 | 11th |
| Heavitree East & Whipton South | 440 | 58 | Seventh |
| Heavitree West & Polsloe | 358 | 42 | Tenth |
| Middlemoor & Sowton | 847 | 67 | Fifth |
| Pinhoe & Whipton North | 477 | 51 | Eighth |
| St James's Park & Hoopern | 680 | 71 | Fourth |
| St Leonard's | 318 | 47 | Ninth |
| St Thomas East | 606 | 74 | Third |
| St Thomas West | 271 | 37 | 12th |
| Wonford & St Loye's | 633 | 76 | Second |
Exeter Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Exeter for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Heavitree West & Polsloe (105) | Central Exeter (1,299) |
| Bicycle Theft | Exwick & Foxhayes (2) | Central Exeter (49) |
| Burglary | Exwick & Foxhayes (5) | Central Exeter (81) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Heavitree West & Polsloe (37) | Central Exeter (237) |
| Drugs | Exwick & Foxhayes (15) | Central Exeter (208) |
| Other Crime | St Thomas West (2) | Middlemoor & Sowton (298) |
| Other Theft | Exwick & Foxhayes (15) | Central Exeter (156) |
| Possession of Weapons | Exwick & Foxhayes (2) | Central Exeter (44) |
| Public Order | St Thomas West (12) | Central Exeter (266) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Middlemoor & Sowton (1) | Central Exeter (15) |
| Shoplifting | Heavitree East & Whipton South (1) | Central Exeter (156) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Middlemoor & Sowton (1) | Central Exeter (30) |
| Vehicle Crime | Pinhoe & Whipton North (16) | St Thomas West (35) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Heavitree West & Polsloe (142) | Central Exeter (924) |
Crime in Exeter During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Exeter change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in June, when Exeter saw a 258% increase in other crime. Exeter saw a large fall in shoplifting during April, when it fell by 83% compared to April in 2019. Rates of bicycle theft and criminal damage and arson both fell year-on-year for every month during Exeter's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -13% | +28% | +28% | +7% | +27% | +10% | +12% | +40% | +58% | +39% |
| Bicycle Theft | -79% | -54% | -71% | -22% | -36% | -33% | -63% | -60% | -56% | +17% |
| Burglary | -50% | -37% | - | -43% | -20% | +26% | -37% | -24% | -52% | -55% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -26% | -36% | -36% | -20% | -15% | +14% | -14% | -25% | -35% | -14% |
| Drugs | -11% | +32% | -36% | -12% | +13% | +7% | -22% | +54% | +108% | +66% |
| Other Crime | +71% | +221% | +200% | +258% | +60% | +11% | +27% | +96% | +71% | +90% |
| Other Theft | -40% | -53% | -51% | -42% | -35% | -19% | -42% | -39% | -47% | -9% |
| Possession of Weapons | +33% | -62% | +31% | +8% | -33% | -50% | +83% | - | +40% | +83% |
| Public Order | -11% | +44% | -31% | -19% | -7% | +35% | -11% | -10% | -15% | - |
| Robbery | -40% | -82% | - | -22% | +14% | -73% | +33% | -45% | -60% | -33% |
| Shoplifting | -63% | -83% | -70% | -67% | -61% | -69% | -27% | -43% | -53% | -61% |
| Theft From the Person | -50% | -80% | -63% | - | -73% | +33% | - | -56% | -22% | -43% |
| Vehicle Crime | -13% | -19% | +26% | -41% | -21% | -40% | -65% | -26% | +17% | -8% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -16% | -9% | -18% | -24% | +0% | +1% | -8% | -10% | -9% | -2% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Exeter
What police force serves Exeter?
Exeter's local territorial police force is the Devon & Cornwall Police.How dangerous is Exeter?
Exeter is the most dangerous major town in Devon.What is Exeter's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Exeter are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Exeter?
Exeter's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021