Totnes Crime Overview
Totnes is the third most dangerous small 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 Totnes in 2020 was 62 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Devon's overall crime rate, coming in 17% higher than the Devon rate of 51 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Totnes is the 290th most dangerous small town, and the 1,936th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In September 2020, Totnes was the worst small town in Devon for bicycle theft, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.37 per 1,000 inhabitants. August 2020 was also a bad month for Totnes residents, when it was Devon's most dangerous small town for burglary, recording 4 crimes at a rate of 0.49 per 1,000 residents. Totnes recorded 13 reports of other theft during March 2020, making its crime rate of 1.6 the worst small town for other theft in Devon that month.
The most common crimes in Totnes are violence and sexual offences, with 218 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 27. This is 3.2% higher than 2019's figure of 211 offences and a difference of 0.86 from 2019's crime rate of 26. Totnes's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 3 offences recorded in 2020, an increase of 33% from 2019's figure of 2 crimes.
Compare Totnes to other towns and cities
See how Totnes shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Totnes and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Totnes Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Totnes This Year
| Totnes | Devon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 288 | 35.08 | 28,259 | 23.54 | 33% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 12 | 1.46 | 439 | 0.37 | 75% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 39 | 4.75 | 2,644 | 2.20 | 54% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 71 | 8.65 | 8,119 | 6.76 | 22% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 33 | 4.02 | 3,313 | 2.76 | 31% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 4 | 0.49 | 1,615 | 1.35 | 176% safer |
| Other Theft | 44 | 5.36 | 4,370 | 3.64 | 32% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 3 | 0.37 | 839 | 0.70 | 89% safer |
| Public Order | 41 | 4.99 | 4,841 | 4.03 | 19% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.49 | 387 | 0.32 | 35% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 24 | 2.92 | 2,897 | 2.41 | 17% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 15 | 1.83 | 2,262 | 1.88 | 2.7% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 218 | 26.56 | 29,573 | 24.64 | 7% more dangerous |
Crime in Totnes Compared To Devon
Totnes Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axminster | 343 | 44.78 | 38% safer |
| Brixham | 773 | 45.52 | 36% safer |
| Tiverton | 1,054 | 46.98 | 32% safer |
| Crediton | 400 | 50.47 | 23% safer |
| Bideford | 1,087 | 59.39 | 4.2% safer |
| Totnes | 508 | 61.88 | - |
| Ilfracombe | 720 | 63.80 | 3.0% more dangerous |
| Barnstaple | 1,983 | 81.03 | 24% more dangerous |
Totnes Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 52 | 44 | 33 | 35 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.24 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.8 | Getting worse |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 12 | 11 | 8 | 9 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.8 | 2.9 | 5.0 | 4.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.24 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.49 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.61 | 1.1 | 0.24 | 0.37 | Safer |
| Public Order | 6 | 5 | 4.6 | 5.0 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.49 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 19 | 28 | 26 | 27 | Getting worse |
Changes In Totnes's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Totnes to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Totnes | 61.88 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 9% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 20% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 26% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 28% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 28% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 36% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 40% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 42% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 53% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 55% more dangerous |
Crime in Totnes's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Totnes Town | 537 | 61 | First |
Crime in Totnes During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Totnes change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in March, when Totnes saw a 550% increase in other theft. Totnes saw a large fall in other theft during December, when it fell by 86% compared to December in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -40% | -31% | -25% | +59% | +95% | +131% | +74% | -9% | -35% | +33% |
| Bicycle Theft | +100% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burglary | -33% | -50% | -50% | +200% | +200% | +100% | -50% | +100% | -50% | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +29% | -80% | -17% | +25% | +250% | +150% | -40% | -14% | +100% | -75% |
| Drugs | +200% | -33% | +20% | -67% | -25% | - | -71% | - | - | -80% |
| Other Theft | +550% | - | -20% | +50% | -40% | -50% | -75% | -63% | +50% | -86% |
| Public Order | - | - | +75% | - | +150% | +40% | -20% | - | -50% | -50% |
| Shoplifting | -83% | - | - | - | -50% | - | - | +100% | - | - |
| Vehicle Crime | - | - | -33% | -33% | - | +100% | - | - | +100% | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -6% | -42% | +7% | +42% | +71% | +36% | -47% | -29% | -30% | -8% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Totnes
What police force serves Totnes?
Totnes's local territorial police force is the Devon & Cornwall Police.How dangerous is Totnes?
Totnes is the third most dangerous small town in Devon.What is Totnes's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Totnes are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Totnes?
Totnes's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021