Wellington Crime Overview
Wellington is among the top 10 safest small towns in Somerset, and is the 96th most dangerous overall out of Somerset's 422 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Wellington in 2020 was 46 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Somerset's overall crime rate, coming in 27% lower than the Somerset rate of 58 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Wellington is the 331st safest small town, and the 3,557th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2020, Wellington was the worst small town in Somerset for other crime, with 4 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.25 per 1,000 inhabitants. October 2019 was also a bad month for Wellington residents, when it was Somerset's most dangerous small town for possession of weapons, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.13 per 1,000 residents. Wellington recorded 13 reports of criminal damage and arson during July 2019, making its crime rate of 0.82 the worst small town for criminal damage and arson in Somerset that month.
The most common crimes in Wellington are violence and sexual offences, with 389 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 25. This is 14% lower than 2019's figure of 444 offences and a difference of 3.48 from 2019's crime rate of 28. Wellington's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 250% from 2019's figure of 7 crimes.
Compare Wellington to other towns and cities
See how Wellington shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Wellington and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Wellington Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Wellington This Year
| Wellington | Somerset | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 231 | 14.61 | 17,239 | 17.76 | 22% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2 | 0.13 | 660 | 0.68 | 423% safer |
| Burglary | 12 | 0.76 | 3,277 | 3.38 | 345% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 76 | 4.81 | 6,537 | 6.74 | 40% safer |
| Drugs | 18 | 1.14 | 1,333 | 1.37 | 20% safer |
| Other Crime | 13 | 0.82 | 925 | 0.95 | 16% safer |
| Other Theft | 41 | 2.59 | 4,500 | 4.64 | 79% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 2 | 0.13 | 388 | 0.40 | 208% safer |
| Public Order | 121 | 7.65 | 8,529 | 8.79 | 15% safer |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.13 | 526 | 0.54 | 315% safer |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 1.58 | 3,315 | 3.42 | 116% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2 | 0.13 | 252 | 0.26 | 100% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 20 | 1.27 | 3,046 | 3.14 | 147% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 389 | 24.60 | 23,221 | 23.93 | 2.7% more dangerous |
Crime in Wellington Compared To Somerset
Wellington Compared to Nearby Small Towns
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yeovil Without | 322 | 36.65 | 25% safer |
| Clevedon | 878 | 40.95 | 12% safer |
| Midsomer Norton | 493 | 41.30 | 11% safer |
| North Petherton | 398 | 42.30 | 8% safer |
| Yatton | 345 | 45.24 | 1.1% safer |
| Wellington | 723 | 45.73 | - |
| Street | 616 | 48.46 | 6% more dangerous |
| Wells | 615 | 54.70 | 16% more dangerous |
| Minehead | 674 | 55.76 | 18% more dangerous |
| Shepton Mallet | 638 | 59.02 | 23% more dangerous |
| Keynsham | 1,202 | 65.46 | 30% more dangerous |
Wellington Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 18 | 24 | 19 | 15 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.19 | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.13 | Safer |
| Burglary | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.76 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 7 | 7 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.76 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 0.76 | 0.95 | 0.63 | 0.82 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 2.6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.25 | 0.13 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.13 | 0.19 | 0.25 | 0.13 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.06 | - | 0.25 | 0.13 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 1.7 | 6 | 2.0 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 23 | 24 | 28 | 25 | Safer |
Changes In Wellington's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Wellington to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Wellington | 45.73 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 32% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 41% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 45% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 47% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 47% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 53% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 56% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 57% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 66% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 67% more dangerous |
Crime in Wellington's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington North | 602 | 62 | First |
Crime in Wellington During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Wellington change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Wellington saw a 300% increase in other crime. Wellington saw a large fall in shoplifting during June, when it fell by 91% compared to June in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -9% | -63% | -39% | +115% | -26% | +19% | -25% | -21% | -58% | -10% |
| Burglary | -80% | - | +100% | - | - | - | -60% | - | - | - |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | - | -29% | - | -33% | -15% | -33% | -75% | - | -50% | -75% |
| Drugs | - | - | - | - | - | +50% | - | +200% | - | - |
| Other Crime | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | +300% | - | - |
| Other Theft | -56% | -50% | -57% | - | -50% | -63% | -67% | +33% | -75% | - |
| Possession of Weapons | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -50% | - | - |
| Public Order | -18% | -14% | -38% | -6% | - | +40% | +43% | +33% | -57% | +133% |
| Shoplifting | -50% | - | - | -91% | - | +150% | +50% | +100% | -50% | -50% |
| Vehicle Crime | - | - | -50% | +200% | -50% | -75% | - | -20% | - | -50% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -27% | +52% | -26% | +24% | -31% | -31% | +16% | -24% | -16% | +2% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Wellington
What police force serves Wellington?
Wellington's local territorial police force is the Avon and Somerset Constabulary.How dangerous is Wellington?
Wellington is among the top 10 safest small towns in Somerset.What is Wellington's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Wellington are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Wellington?
Wellington's least common crime is bicycle theft.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021