Torquay Crime Overview
Torquay is the most dangerous medium-sized town in Devon, and is the second most dangerous overall out of Devon's 430 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Torquay in 2020 was 101 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 49% higher than the Devon rate of 51 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Torquay is the 35th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 475th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In August 2018, Torquay had the worst crime rate in Devon for possession of weapons, with 10 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.20 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2016 was also a bad month for Torquay residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous area for theft from the person, recording 13 crimes at a rate of 0.25 per 1,000 residents. Torquay recorded 43 reports of vehicle crime during October 2016, making its crime rate of 0.84 the worst for vehicle crime in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Torquay are violence and sexual offences, with 2,417 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 47. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 2,579 offences and a difference of 3.18 from 2019's crime rate of 51. Torquay's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 26 offences recorded in 2020, an increase of 23% from 2019's figure of 20 crimes.
Compare Torquay to other towns and cities
See how Torquay shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Torquay and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Torquay Crime Map
Crime in Torquay Compared To Devon
Summary of Crimes in Torquay This Year
| Torquay | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,112 | 41.36 | 28,259 | 23.54 | 43% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 26 | 0.51 | 439 | 0.37 | 27% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 167 | 3.27 | 2,644 | 2.20 | 33% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 649 | 12.71 | 8,119 | 6.76 | 47% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 302 | 5.91 | 3,313 | 2.76 | 53% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 81 | 1.59 | 1,615 | 1.35 | 15% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 350 | 6.85 | 4,370 | 3.64 | 47% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 70 | 1.37 | 839 | 0.70 | 49% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 417 | 8.17 | 4,841 | 4.03 | 51% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 51 | 1.00 | 387 | 0.32 | 68% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 315 | 6.17 | 2,897 | 2.41 | 61% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 30 | 0.59 | 275 | 0.23 | 61% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 292 | 5.72 | 2,262 | 1.88 | 67% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,417 | 47.33 | 29,573 | 24.64 | 48% more dangerous |
Torquay Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth | 1,558 | 43.61 | 132% safer |
| Newton Abbot | 1,623 | 60.89 | 66% safer |
| Torquay | 5,167 | 101.19 | - |
Crime Over Time in Torquay
View crime percentage over time forTorquay Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 50 | 40 | 36 | 41 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.53 | 0.61 | 0.39 | 0.51 | No change |
| Burglary | 7 | 5 | 4.3 | 3.3 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.5 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.6 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 11 | 12 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | Safer |
| Public Order | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.84 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 10 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.59 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.9 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 49 | 51 | 51 | 47 | Safer |
Changes In Torquay's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Torquay to the UK's Major Cities
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 49% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 31% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 22% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 18% safer |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 17% safer |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 3.8% safer |
| Torquay | 101.19 | - |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 1.6% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 6% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 24% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 26% more dangerous |
Crime in Torquay's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babbacombe & Plainmoor | 403 | 72 | Third |
| Ellacombe | 395 | 68 | Fourth |
| Torquay Central | 2,110 | 277 | First |
| Upton & Hele | 754 | 118 | Second |
| Watcombe | 403 | 56 | Fifth |
| Wellswood | 425 | 54 | Sixth |
Torquay Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Torquay for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Ellacombe (131) | Torquay Central (896) |
| Bicycle Theft | Babbacombe & Plainmoor (4) | Torquay Central (16) |
| Burglary | Watcombe (9) | Torquay Central (74) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Wellswood (50) | Torquay Central (225) |
| Drugs | Watcombe (8) | Torquay Central (174) |
| Other Crime | Wellswood (5) | Torquay Central (25) |
| Other Theft | Watcombe (24) | Torquay Central (131) |
| Possession of Weapons | Ellacombe (1) | Torquay Central (38) |
| Public Order | Wellswood (22) | Torquay Central (205) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Watcombe (3) | Torquay Central (26) |
| Shoplifting | Ellacombe (2) | Torquay Central (141) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Wellswood (2) | Torquay Central (21) |
| Vehicle Crime | Ellacombe (15) | Babbacombe & Plainmoor (49) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Wellswood (192) | Torquay Central (972) |
Crime in Torquay During Coronavirus Lockdowns
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Torquay
What police force serves Torquay?
Torquay's local territorial police force is the Devon & Cornwall Police.How dangerous is Torquay?
Torquay is the most dangerous medium-sized town in Devon.What is Torquay's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Torquay are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Torquay?
Torquay's least common crime is bicycle theft.Last updated: 07 May 2021