Cowes Crime Overview
Cowes is the second safest small town in the Isle of Wight, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of the Isle of Wight's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Cowes in 2020 was 51 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to the Isle of Wight's overall crime rate, coming in 32% lower than the Isle of Wight rate of 68 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Cowes is the 419th safest small town, and the 2,916th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In September 2020, Cowes had the worst crime rate in the Isle of Wight for bicycle theft, with 2 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.19 per 1,000 inhabitants. May 2020 was also a bad month for Cowes residents, when it was the Isle of Wight's most dangerous area for possession of weapons, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.19 per 1,000 residents. Cowes recorded 1 report of robbery during February 2020, making its crime rate of 0.09 the worst for robbery in the Isle of Wight that month.
The most common crimes in Cowes are violence and sexual offences, with 291 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 27. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 310 offences and a difference of 1.77 from 2019's crime rate of 29. Cowes's least common crime is robbery, with 3 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 267% from 2019's figure of 11 crimes.
Compare Cowes to other towns and cities
See how Cowes shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Cowes and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Cowes Crime Map
Crime in Cowes Compared To Isle of Wight
Summary of Crimes in Cowes This Year
| Cowes | Isle of Wight | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 117 | 10.95 | 2,516 | 17.79 | 62% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 12 | 1.12 | 42 | 0.30 | 73% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 18 | 1.68 | 321 | 2.27 | 35% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 43 | 4.02 | 1,055 | 7.46 | 86% safer |
| Drugs | 26 | 2.43 | 458 | 3.24 | 33% safer |
| Other Crime | 9 | 0.84 | 218 | 1.54 | 83% safer |
| Other Theft | 33 | 3.09 | 602 | 4.26 | 38% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 11 | 1.03 | 125 | 0.88 | 15% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 60 | 5.61 | 1,280 | 9.05 | 61% safer |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.28 | 40 | 0.28 | 0% safer |
| Shoplifting | 19 | 1.78 | 357 | 2.52 | 42% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 5 | 0.47 | 42 | 0.30 | 36% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 17 | 1.59 | 218 | 1.54 | 3.1% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 291 | 27.23 | 4,804 | 33.96 | 25% safer |
Cowes Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Cowes | 399 | 48.75 | 5.0% safer |
| Cowes | 547 | 51.18 | - |
| Shanklin | 646 | 70.20 | 27% more dangerous |
| Ryde | 2,102 | 84.60 | 40% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Cowes
View crime percentage over time forRecent Crimes in Cowes
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ensign Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| October 2021 | Drugs | On or near St Mary'S Road | Local resolution |
| October 2021 | Other theft | On or near Bridge Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| October 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near High Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| October 2021 | Drugs | On or near Ward Avenue | Local resolution |
| October 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Grove Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| October 2021 | Other theft | On or near Grove Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| October 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Maxted Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Burglary | On or near Church Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| September 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Robinsons Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Robinsons Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Stones Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| September 2021 | Public order | On or near Fountain Quay | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Other theft | On or near Weston Road | Formal action is not in the public interest |
| September 2021 | Public order | On or near St Mary'S Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Supermarket | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| September 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Medina Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| August 2021 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Bath Road | Offender given a caution |
| August 2021 | Other theft | On or near Cross Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
Cowes Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 16 | 7 | 10 | 11 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.84 | 0.37 | 0.47 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 2.2 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 8 | 7 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.4 | 0.94 | 1.3 | 0.84 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3.1 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.84 | 0.84 | 0.19 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 6 | 4.6 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.19 | 0.28 | 1.0 | 0.28 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.37 | 0.28 | 0.19 | 0.47 | Getting worse |
| Vehicle Crime | 1.6 | 0.84 | 0.84 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 22 | 23 | 29 | 27 | Getting worse |
Changes In Cowes's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Cowes to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cowes | 51.18 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 24% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 34% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 39% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 40% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 41% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 47% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 50% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 52% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 62% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 63% more dangerous |
Crime in Cowes's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowes Central | 506 | 64 | First |
Crime in Cowes During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Cowes change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in March, when Cowes saw a 650% increase in anti-social behaviour. Cowes saw a large fall in other theft during April, when it fell by 83% compared to April in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +650% | - | -8% | +22% | -21% | - | +29% | -57% | +20% | - |
| Bicycle Theft | - | - | +300% | - | - | - | +100% | - | - | - |
| Burglary | - | - | +100% | - | +100% | -67% | -67% | -50% | +200% | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -71% | - | -80% | +50% | - | -82% | -40% | -50% | -60% | +80% |
| Drugs | +100% | - | - | +100% | +150% | -71% | - | +200% | +100% | +100% |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | - | -33% | - | - | -50% | - |
| Other Theft | +200% | -83% | +67% | -67% | -20% | -38% | -60% | -22% | -80% | - |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | - | - | +100% | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | -29% | -57% | -11% | +33% | +200% | -60% | -33% | +50% | -33% | - |
| Shoplifting | +100% | -67% | - | - | - | -75% | +100% | -83% | +33% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | - | - | - | +100% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -28% | -10% | +18% | +59% | +70% | -54% | +30% | -15% | +13% | -14% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Cowes
What police force serves Cowes?
Cowes's local territorial police force is the Hampshire Constabulary.How dangerous is Cowes?
Cowes is the second safest small town in the Isle of Wight.What is Cowes's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Cowes are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Cowes?
Cowes's least common crime is robbery (inc. mugging).Last updated: 26 Nov 2021