Bridgwater Crime Overview
Bridgwater is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Somerset, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Somerset's 422 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Bridgwater in 2020 was 111 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Somerset's overall crime rate, coming in 47% higher than the Somerset rate of 58 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bridgwater is the 26th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 345th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2020, Bridgwater had the worst crime rate in Somerset for other crime, with 11 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.29 per 1,000 inhabitants. May 2020 was also a bad month for Bridgwater residents, when it was Somerset's most dangerous area for possession of weapons, recording 7 crimes at a rate of 0.19 per 1,000 residents. Bridgwater recorded 77 reports of criminal damage and arson during April 2019, making its crime rate of 2.0 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Somerset that month.
The most common crimes in Bridgwater are violence and sexual offences, with 1,887 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 50. This is 6% higher than 2019's figure of 1,777 offences and a difference of 2.92 from 2019's crime rate of 47. Bridgwater's least common crime is theft from the person, with 23 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 35% from 2019's figure of 31 crimes.
Compare Bridgwater to other towns and cities
See how Bridgwater shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Bridgwater and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Bridgwater Crime Map
Crime in Bridgwater Compared To Somerset
Summary of Crimes in Bridgwater This Year
| Bridgwater | Somerset | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,381 | 36.59 | 17,239 | 17.76 | 51% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 63 | 1.67 | 660 | 0.68 | 59% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 177 | 4.69 | 3,277 | 3.38 | 28% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 437 | 11.58 | 6,537 | 6.74 | 42% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 111 | 2.94 | 1,333 | 1.37 | 53% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 75 | 1.99 | 925 | 0.95 | 52% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 262 | 6.94 | 4,500 | 4.64 | 33% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 41 | 1.09 | 388 | 0.40 | 63% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 660 | 17.49 | 8,529 | 8.79 | 50% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 62 | 1.64 | 526 | 0.54 | 67% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 281 | 7.45 | 3,315 | 3.42 | 54% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 23 | 0.61 | 252 | 0.26 | 57% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 106 | 2.81 | 3,046 | 3.14 | 12% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 1,887 | 50.00 | 23,221 | 23.93 | 52% more dangerous |
Bridgwater Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portishead | 1,021 | 38.48 | 188% safer |
| Frome | 1,673 | 59.39 | 87% safer |
| Bridgwater | 4,185 | 110.88 | - |
| Yeovil | 3,478 | 111.11 | 0.21% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Bridgwater
View crime percentage over time forBridgwater Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 44 | 37 | 41 | 37 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 | Safer |
| Burglary | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4.7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 13 | 12 | 14 | 12 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.9 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 2.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.61 | 0.58 | 0.77 | 1.1 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 17 | 15 | 17 | 17 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.1 | 0.69 | 1.5 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 10 | 13 | 7 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.79 | 0.64 | 0.82 | 0.61 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3.7 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 43 | 43 | 47 | 50 | Getting worse |
Changes In Bridgwater's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Bridgwater's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Bridgwater that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Road Playing Fields | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0.20 |
| St Matthew's Field | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 6 | 2.1 |
Comparing Bridgwater to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Bridgwater's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgwater North | 863 | 108 | Third |
| Bridgwater South | 1,164 | 156 | Second |
| Bridgwater Town | 1,676 | 162 | First |
Crime in Bridgwater During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Bridgwater change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Bridgwater saw a 400% increase in robbery. Bridgwater saw a large fall in bicycle theft during June, when it fell by 88% compared to June in 2019. Shoplifting saw a fall in every month of Bridgwater's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -12% | -22% | -41% | +14% | +13% | -15% | -25% | -13% | -16% | +13% |
| Bicycle Theft | -50% | -17% | -73% | -88% | -54% | +13% | -68% | -11% | +33% | -80% |
| Burglary | -59% | -36% | -41% | -36% | -29% | -33% | -14% | -45% | -5% | -10% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -67% | -65% | -41% | -11% | +15% | +27% | +13% | -12% | +15% | - |
| Drugs | +33% | -22% | +275% | +100% | - | +67% | +250% | +50% | +160% | +80% |
| Other Crime | +133% | +67% | +150% | +350% | +200% | +150% | +50% | +267% | -40% | -20% |
| Other Theft | -58% | -29% | -48% | -35% | -9% | -9% | +5% | -12% | +21% | -38% |
| Possession of Weapons | +100% | +200% | +250% | - | - | -40% | -71% | +300% | - | +300% |
| Public Order | +15% | -10% | -25% | -36% | +45% | +36% | +3% | -16% | -2% | -19% |
| Robbery | -50% | +400% | +133% | +33% | +50% | -33% | +167% | -40% | -56% | - |
| Shoplifting | +17% | -64% | -42% | -56% | -52% | -77% | -62% | -24% | -28% | -55% |
| Theft From the Person | - | -50% | - | +100% | +50% | -67% | -50% | -50% | -50% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -21% | -50% | -57% | +129% | +80% | +80% | +44% | -43% | -67% | -38% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -10% | -23% | -7% | +36% | +40% | +28% | +16% | +26% | +13% | -27% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Bridgwater
What police force serves Bridgwater?
Bridgwater's local territorial police force is the Avon and Somerset Constabulary.How dangerous is Bridgwater?
Bridgwater is the second most dangerous medium-sized town in Somerset.What is Bridgwater's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Bridgwater are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Bridgwater?
Bridgwater's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 07 May 2021