Torquay is the most dangerous medium-sized towns in Devon, and is the third most dangerous overall out of Devon's 403 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Torquay in 2021 was 105 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 50% higher than the Devon rate of 52 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Torquay is the 47th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 504th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In February 2021, Torquay had the worst crime rate in Devon for shoplifting, with 56 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. July 2021 was also a bad month for Torquay residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous area for vehicle crime, recording 49 crimes at a rate of 0.96 per 1,000 residents. Torquay recorded 8 reports of robbery during July 2018, making its crime rate of 0.16 the worst for robbery in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Torquay are violence and sexual offences, with 2,597 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 51. This is 7% higher than 2020's figure of 2,417 offences and a difference of 3.53 from 2020's crime rate of 47. Torquay's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 15 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 73% from 2020's figure of 26 crimes.
Most Dangerous
Medium-Sized Towns, Devon
44% higher, regional crime rate
South West
27% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Torquay is 44% higher than the South West and 27% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Torquay | |
| South West | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Torquay 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 | 105 | 5,354 |
| 2020 | 101 | 5,167 |
| 2019 | 110 | 5,601 |
| 2018 | 118 | 6,047 |
| 2017 | 114 | 5,817 |
| 2016 | 95 | 4,856 |
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| Torquay | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,912 | 37.44 | 23,779 | 19.81 | 47% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 15 | 0.29 | 336 | 0.28 | 3.4% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 146 | 2.86 | 2,114 | 1.76 | 38% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 732 | 14.34 | 7,956 | 6.63 | 54% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 239 | 4.68 | 2,929 | 2.44 | 48% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 97 | 1.90 | 1,709 | 1.42 | 25% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 300 | 5.88 | 4,111 | 3.43 | 42% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 80 | 1.57 | 777 | 0.65 | 59% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 367 | 7.19 | 5,058 | 4.21 | 41% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 43 | 0.84 | 380 | 0.32 | 62% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 415 | 8.13 | 2,932 | 2.44 | 70% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 39 | 0.76 | 312 | 0.26 | 66% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 284 | 5.56 | 2,019 | 1.68 | 70% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,597 | 50.86 | 31,910 | 26.59 | 48% more dangerous |
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth | 1,563 | 43.75 | 140% safer |
| Newton Abbot | 1,725 | 64.72 | 62% safer |
| Torquay | 5,354 | 104.85 | - |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near Police Station | Offender given a caution |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near St Paul'S Road | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Other crime | On or near Winchester Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lawrence Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Burglary | On or near Lyme View Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near West Pafford Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Cricketers Green | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Scarborough Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ash Hill Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Tintagel Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Kilmorie Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Redcliffe Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Robbery | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Nightclub | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near St Lukes Road North | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near St George'S Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Nightclub | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Union Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Melville Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Madeira Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 40 | 36 | 41 | 37 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.61 | 0.39 | 0.51 | 0.29 | Safer |
| Burglary | 5 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | Safer |
| Drugs | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4.7 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 12 | 8 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.84 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 6 | 6 | 8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.59 | 0.76 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 51 | 51 | 47 | 51 | Getting worse |
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 56% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 27% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 16% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 16% safer |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 2.6% safer |
| Torquay | 104.85 | - |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 6% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 15% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 19% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 21% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 31% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babbacombe & Plainmoor | 389 | 69 | Third |
| Ellacombe | 335 | 57 | Sixth |
| Torquay Central | 2,160 | 284 | First |
| Upton & Hele | 728 | 114 | Second |
| Watcombe | 496 | 69 | Fifth |
| Wellswood | 540 | 69 | Fourth |
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Ellacombe (94) | Torquay Central (898) |
| Bicycle Theft | Wellswood (1) | Torquay Central (6) |
| Burglary | Wellswood (9) | Torquay Central (63) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Ellacombe (35) | Torquay Central (276) |
| Drugs | Ellacombe (9) | Torquay Central (127) |
| Other Crime | Ellacombe (4) | Torquay Central (48) |
| Other Theft | Watcombe (20) | Torquay Central (135) |
| Possession of Weapons | Ellacombe (3) | Torquay Central (34) |
| Public Order | Wellswood (23) | Torquay Central (163) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Watcombe (2) | Torquay Central (24) |
| Shoplifting | Watcombe (4) | Torquay Central (163) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Watcombe (1) | Torquay Central (25) |
| Vehicle Crime | Watcombe (25) | Torquay Central (78) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Wellswood (246) | Torquay Central (1,018) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Torquay change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Torquay saw a 231% increase in vehicle crime. Torquay saw a large fall in theft from the person during June, when it fell by 91% compared to June in 2019. Burglary saw a fall in every month of Torquay's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -28% | +28% | +31% | +28% | +17% | +57% | +2% | +17% | +10% | +46% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | - | +200% | -33% | - | - | +50% | -50% | -50% |
| Burglary | -6% | -48% | -13% | -31% | -42% | -29% | -20% | -61% | -42% | +33% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -29% | - | -23% | -23% | +26% | +15% | -18% | -31% | -15% | -22% |
| Drugs | -9% | -16% | - | -39% | +4% | +73% | +22% | +32% | +6% | -4% |
| Other Crime | -57% | +80% | - | -36% | -50% | -60% | -30% | -29% | -58% | -22% |
| Other Theft | -31% | +6% | -32% | +3% | -40% | -41% | +3% | -15% | +3% | -12% |
| Possession of Weapons | -83% | +14% | -60% | +25% | - | -8% | -42% | +67% | -14% | -50% |
| Public Order | +53% | -33% | +31% | +32% | +43% | +2% | +19% | -20% | -39% | -17% |
| Robbery | +25% | +40% | +33% | -85% | -50% | - | -13% | -57% | - | -20% |
| Shoplifting | +61% | -57% | -18% | -48% | +35% | -5% | -36% | -36% | +52% | +38% |
| Theft From the Person | -75% | -60% | -50% | -91% | -20% | -80% | -33% | -71% | -67% | -86% |
| Vehicle Crime | +90% | +231% | - | +55% | +87% | +100% | -67% | -75% | -55% | -58% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -23% | -34% | -27% | -8% | +14% | +31% | +22% | -7% | -22% | +18% |
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