Newton Abbot Crime Overview
Newton Abbot is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Devon, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Devon's 430 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Newton Abbot in 2020 was 61 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 16% higher than the Devon rate of 51 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Newton Abbot is the 68th safest medium-sized town, and the 2,025th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2020, Newton Abbot was the worst medium-sized town in Devon for bicycle theft, with 2 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.08 per 1,000 inhabitants. August 2020 was also a bad month for Newton Abbot residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous medium-sized town for other crime, recording 7 crimes at a rate of 0.26 per 1,000 residents. Newton Abbot recorded 2 reports of possession of weapons during March 2020, making its crime rate of 0.08 the worst medium-sized town for possession of weapons in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Newton Abbot are violence and sexual offences, with 800 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 30. This is 11% lower than 2019's figure of 891 offences and a difference of 3.42 from 2019's crime rate of 33. Newton Abbot's least common crime is theft from the person, with 3 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 167% from 2019's figure of 8 crimes.
Compare Newton Abbot to other towns and cities
See how Newton Abbot shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Newton Abbot and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Newton Abbot Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Newton Abbot This Year
| Newton Abbot | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 754 | 28.29 | 28,259 | 23.54 | 17% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 15 | 0.56 | 439 | 0.37 | 34% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 56 | 2.10 | 2,644 | 2.20 | 4.8% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 222 | 8.33 | 8,119 | 6.76 | 19% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 115 | 4.31 | 3,313 | 2.76 | 36% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 30 | 1.13 | 1,615 | 1.35 | 19% safer |
| Other Theft | 107 | 4.01 | 4,370 | 3.64 | 9% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 27 | 1.01 | 839 | 0.70 | 31% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 137 | 5.14 | 4,841 | 4.03 | 22% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.23 | 387 | 0.32 | 39% safer |
| Shoplifting | 67 | 2.51 | 2,897 | 2.41 | 4.0% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 3 | 0.11 | 275 | 0.23 | 109% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 38 | 1.43 | 2,262 | 1.88 | 31% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 800 | 30.01 | 29,573 | 24.64 | 18% more dangerous |
Crime in Newton Abbot Compared To Devon
Newton Abbot Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 35 | 31 | 28 | 28 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.79 | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.56 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.3 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 4.3 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.60 | 0.94 | 0.75 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 4.5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.19 | 0.64 | 0.26 | 0.23 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 6 | 5 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.68 | 0.60 | 0.30 | 0.11 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 9 | 5 | 2.6 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 30 | 32 | 33 | 30 | Safer |
Changes In Newton Abbot's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Newton Abbot to the UK's Major Cities
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Newton Abbot | 60.89 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 10% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 21% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 27% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 29% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 29% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 38% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 41% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 43% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 54% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 56% more dangerous |
Crime in Newton Abbot's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Abbot, Broadlands & Wolborough | 456 | 79 | Second |
| Newton Abbot, Highweek | 218 | 35 | Third |
| Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland | 112 | 20 | Fourth |
| Newton Abbot, Town Centre | 725 | 116 | First |
Newton Abbot Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Newton Abbot for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (65) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (395) |
| Bicycle Theft | Newton Abbot, Broadlands & Wolborough (1) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (11) |
| Burglary | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (7) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (33) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (5) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (109) |
| Drugs | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (4) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (48) |
| Other Crime | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (1) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (15) |
| Other Theft | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (10) | Newton Abbot, Broadlands & Wolborough (37) |
| Possession of Weapons | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (2) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (14) |
| Public Order | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (3) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (63) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Newton Abbot, Broadlands & Wolborough (2) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (4) |
| Shoplifting | Newton Abbot, Highweek (6) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (44) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (1) | Newton Abbot, Broadlands & Wolborough (2) |
| Vehicle Crime | Newton Abbot, Highweek (4) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (13) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Newton Abbot, Milber & Buckland (74) | Newton Abbot, Town Centre (330) |
Crime in Newton Abbot During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Newton Abbot change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in December, when Newton Abbot saw a 800% increase in vehicle crime. Newton Abbot saw a large fall in shoplifting during August, when it fell by 89% compared to August in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -4% | -30% | +38% | +2% | +24% | -20% | +39% | +78% | -21% | -2% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -50% | -75% | - | - | -33% | - | -50% | - | - |
| Burglary | +160% | -50% | - | +67% | +17% | +300% | -25% | - | - | -50% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -5% | -19% | -25% | - | - | -21% | - | -25% | +5% | -13% |
| Drugs | +75% | +11% | - | -33% | -20% | -14% | +122% | -17% | +20% | +67% |
| Other Crime | -43% | +50% | +100% | -86% | -71% | +600% | -60% | - | -67% | -50% |
| Other Theft | +100% | -46% | -47% | +22% | - | -25% | +67% | -54% | -50% | - |
| Possession of Weapons | - | +50% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | +100% |
| Public Order | -17% | -67% | -47% | -23% | +29% | +19% | +7% | +33% | +156% | -50% |
| Robbery | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | +114% | - | -55% | -69% | -73% | -89% | -38% | -40% | -70% | -56% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -45% | -80% | +400% | -60% | -50% | - | -67% | +100% | -83% | +800% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -14% | -18% | -36% | -14% | -33% | +47% | +2% | -18% | -17% | -6% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Newton Abbot
What police force serves Newton Abbot?
Newton Abbot's local territorial police force is the Devon & Cornwall Police.How dangerous is Newton Abbot?
Newton Abbot is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Devon.What is Newton Abbot's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Newton Abbot are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Newton Abbot?
Newton Abbot's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 01 Apr 2021