Exeter is the most dangerous major town in Devon, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Devon's 403 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Exeter in 2021 was 68 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 23% higher than the Devon rate of 52 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Exeter is the 27th safest major town, and the 1,682nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Exeter had the worst crime rate in Devon for bicycle theft, with 11 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.09 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2021 was also a bad month for Exeter residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous area for other crime, recording 37 crimes at a rate of 0.29 per 1,000 residents. Exeter recorded 8 reports of robbery during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.06 the worst for robbery in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Exeter are violence and sexual offences, with 3,928 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 31. This is 9% higher than 2020's figure of 3,580 offences and a difference of 2.77 from 2020's crime rate of 28. Exeter's least common crime is robbery, with 62 offences recorded in 2021, an increase of 29% from 2020's figure of 44 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Devon
13% higher, regional crime rate
South West
13% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Exeter is 13% higher than the South West and 13% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Exeter | |
| South West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Exeter 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 | 68 | 8,503 |
| 2020 | 64 | 8,060 |
| 2019 | 76 | 9,517 |
| 2018 | 80 | 10,094 |
| 2017 | 74 | 9,325 |
| 2016 | 67 | 8,467 |
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| Exeter | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 3,614 | 28.72 | 23,779 | 19.81 | 31% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 96 | 0.76 | 336 | 0.28 | 63% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 237 | 1.88 | 2,114 | 1.76 | 6% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 975 | 7.75 | 7,956 | 6.63 | 14% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 458 | 3.64 | 2,929 | 2.44 | 33% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 527 | 4.19 | 1,709 | 1.42 | 66% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 624 | 4.96 | 4,111 | 3.43 | 31% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 98 | 0.78 | 777 | 0.65 | 17% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 705 | 5.60 | 5,058 | 4.21 | 25% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 62 | 0.49 | 380 | 0.32 | 35% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 516 | 4.10 | 2,932 | 2.44 | 40% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 62 | 0.49 | 312 | 0.26 | 47% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 215 | 1.71 | 2,019 | 1.68 | 1.8% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,928 | 31.22 | 31,910 | 26.59 | 15% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paignton | 4,109 | 61.45 | 10% safer |
| Exeter | 8,503 | 67.58 | - |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Melbourne Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near May Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Wynford Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Alford Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Bowhay Lane | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Richmond Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Victoria Park Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near College Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Wonford Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near King Arthur'S Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Chestnut Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Prince'S Street West | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Wellington Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Queen'S Terrace | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 30 | 26 | 31 | 29 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.99 | 0.76 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 1.9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.7 | 4.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 9 | 7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.74 | 0.91 | 0.94 | 0.78 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.60 | 0.68 | 0.35 | 0.49 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 7 | 3.1 | 4.1 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.1 | 0.81 | 0.48 | 0.49 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.1 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.7 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 32 | 30 | 28 | 31 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Exeter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowick Barton Playing Field | 11 | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 1.8 |
| Hamlin Lane Playing Field | 11 | 2 | 1 | - | 5 | 0 | 2.2 |
| Heavitree Pleasure Ground | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0.23 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 0.75% safer |
| Exeter | 67.58 | - |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 18% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 25% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 25% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 34% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 39% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 45% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 48% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 49% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 55% more dangerous |
Central Exeter is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Exeter, followed by Middlemoor & Sowton in second place, and Wonford & St Loye's 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 | 472 | 64 | Seventh |
| Central Exeter | 2,289 | 189 | First |
| Exwick & Foxhayes | 291 | 38 | 11th |
| Heavitree East & Whipton South | 489 | 65 | Sixth |
| Heavitree West & Polsloe | 370 | 43 | Tenth |
| Middlemoor & Sowton | 1,006 | 80 | Second |
| Pinhoe & Whipton North | 488 | 52 | Eighth |
| St James's Park & Hoopern | 727 | 76 | Fourth |
| St Leonard's | 318 | 47 | Ninth |
| St Thomas East | 547 | 67 | Fifth |
| St Thomas West | 241 | 33 | 12th |
| Wonford & St Loye's | 650 | 78 | Third |
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 | St Thomas West (78) | Central Exeter (1,332) |
| Bicycle Theft | St Thomas West (1) | Central Exeter (41) |
| Burglary | Exwick & Foxhayes (2) | Central Exeter (60) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | St Thomas West (25) | Central Exeter (251) |
| Drugs | St Thomas West (6) | Central Exeter (164) |
| Other Crime | Heavitree West & Polsloe (3) | Middlemoor & Sowton (355) |
| Other Theft | Exwick & Foxhayes (12) | Central Exeter (167) |
| Possession of Weapons | St Thomas West (1) | Central Exeter (38) |
| Public Order | St Thomas West (17) | Central Exeter (228) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Pinhoe & Whipton North (1) | Central Exeter (27) |
| Shoplifting | Exwick & Foxhayes (4) | Central Exeter (208) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Wonford & St Loye's (1) | Central Exeter (32) |
| Vehicle Crime | St Thomas West (5) | St Leonard's (23) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Heavitree West & Polsloe (152) | Central Exeter (1,024) |
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% | +229% | +200% | +258% | +60% | +11% | +27% | +96% | +71% | +90% |
| Other Theft | -41% | -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% | +1% | +1% | -8% | -10% | -9% | -2% |
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