Cowes is the safest small town in the Isle of Wight, and is among the top 20 safest overall out of the Isle of Wight's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Cowes in 2021 was 52 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to the Isle of Wight's overall crime rate, coming in 44% lower than the Isle of Wight rate of 75 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Cowes is the 319th safest small town, and the 3,144th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In February 2021, Cowes had the worst crime rate in the Isle of Wight for bicycle theft, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.28 per 1,000 inhabitants. January 2021 was also a bad month for Cowes residents, when it was the Isle of Wight's most dangerous area for shoplifting, recording 4 crimes at a rate of 0.37 per 1,000 residents. Cowes recorded 1 report of theft from the person during August 2021, making its crime rate of 0.09 the worst for theft from the person in the Isle of Wight that month.
The most common crimes in Cowes are violence and sexual offences, with 316 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 30. This is 8% higher than 2020's figure of 291 offences and a difference of 2.34 from 2020's crime rate of 27. Cowes's least common crime is theft from the person, with 2 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 150% from 2020's figure of 5 crimes.
Safest
Small Towns, The Isle of Wight
38% lower, regional crime rate
South East
47% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Cowes is 38% lower than the South East and 47% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Cowes | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Cowes represent the time frame between July 2019 and June 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 04 Aug, 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: 04 Aug, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52 | 557 |
| 2020 | 51 | 547 |
| 2019 | 58 | 616 |
| 2018 | 51 | 547 |
| 2017 | 52 | 553 |
| 2016 | 42 | 450 |
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| Cowes | Isle of Wight | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 111 | 10.39 | 1,936 | 13.69 | 32% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 3 | 0.28 | 50 | 0.35 | 25% safer |
| Burglary | 9 | 0.84 | 275 | 1.94 | 131% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 61 | 5.71 | 1,118 | 7.90 | 38% safer |
| Drugs | 24 | 2.25 | 445 | 3.15 | 40% safer |
| Other Crime | 8 | 0.75 | 176 | 1.24 | 65% safer |
| Other Theft | 36 | 3.37 | 684 | 4.84 | 44% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 4 | 0.37 | 134 | 0.95 | 157% safer |
| Public Order | 70 | 6.55 | 1,636 | 11.57 | 77% safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 0.75 | 289 | 2.04 | 172% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2 | 0.19 | 52 | 0.37 | 95% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 16 | 1.50 | 191 | 1.35 | 10% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 316 | 29.57 | 5,541 | 39.17 | 32% safer |
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowes | 557 | 52.11 | - |
| East Cowes | 469 | 57.30 | 9% more dangerous |
| Shanklin | 685 | 74.44 | 30% more dangerous |
| Ryde | 2,115 | 85.12 | 39% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Public order | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Other theft | On or near Fountain Quay | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Other theft | On or near Debourne Manor Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| June 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lanyards Lea | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Other theft | On or near Love Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ensign Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Public order | On or near Nelson Drive | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Public order | On or near Ward Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Public order | On or near Arctic Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Other theft | On or near St Mary'S Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Elm Grove | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Stephenson Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| May 2022 | Public order | On or near High Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Robinsons Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Arctic Road | Formal action is not in the public interest |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ferry Terminal | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| May 2022 | Public order | On or near High Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Moorgreen Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| May 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Arctic Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 7 | 10 | 11 | 10 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.37 | 0.47 | 1.1 | 0.28 | Safer |
| Burglary | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.84 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 7 | 4.0 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.94 | 1.3 | 0.84 | 0.75 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 5 | 6 | 3.1 | 3.4 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.84 | 0.19 | 1.0 | 0.37 | Safer |
| Public Order | 4.6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 2.3 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 0.75 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.28 | 0.19 | 0.47 | 0.19 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 0.84 | 0.84 | 1.6 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 23 | 29 | 27 | 30 | Getting worse |
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cowes | 52.11 | - |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 22% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 37% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 91.10 | 43% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 93.77 | 44% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 102.37 | 49% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.75 | 53% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 127.90 | 59% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 137.17 | 62% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 145.60 | 64% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 153.06 | 66% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowes Central | 564 | 72 | First |
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% |
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