Crime by Postcode

BarnstapleTown

Crime in Barnstaple

Recorded crime in Barnstaple is 1.9 times the North Devon average and 1.2 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 8%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.

Within 1.5 km of the centre of Barnstaple: about 18,173 residents in 17 neighbourhoods.

Safety
3/10Above average crime
Living
8.1/10Good
5-year change
+8%more crimes
vs the council
1.9×the North Devon average
Open on the map

Neighbourhoods by Safety

North Devon 008A: Safety 1 out of 10, high crimeNorth Devon 008B: Safety 2 out of 10, high crimeNorth Devon 007D: Safety 2 out of 10, high crimeNorth Devon 007A: Safety 3 out of 10, above average crimeNorth Devon 009A: Safety 2 out of 10, high crimeNorth Devon 008C: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeNorth Devon 009C: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeNorth Devon 007C: Safety 3 out of 10, above average crimeNorth Devon 008D: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeNorth Devon 007B: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeNorth Devon 010D: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeNorth Devon 010F: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeNorth Devon 012E: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeNorth Devon 010B: Safety 3 out of 10, above average crimeNorth Devon 009B: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeNorth Devon 010E: Safety 4 out of 10, above average crimeNorth Devon 006C: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crime
1 = least safe, 10 = safest. Grey: no score. Select a neighbourhood to open it on the map.

Within 1.5 km of the centre of Barnstaple.

Crime over 5 years

Up 8% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Barnstaple, anti-social behaviour left out.

Sep 2021 – Aug 2022: 1,944 crimesSep 2021 – Aug 20221,944Sep 2022 – Aug 2023: no dataSep 2022 – Aug 2023no dataSep 2023 – Aug 2024: 1,873 crimesSep 2023 – Aug 20241,873Sep 2024 – Aug 2025: 2,182 crimesSep 2024 – Aug 20252,182Sep 2025 – Aug 2026: 2,108 crimesSep 2025 – Aug 20262,108

What is recorded

Crime severity: 1.9× the North Devon average (1.2× the England and Wales average). 103 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.

  • Violence and sexual offences: 69% of the harm here
  • Burglary: 10% of the harm here
  • Drugs: 6% of the harm here

"Violence and sexual offences" is 69% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.

Anti-social behaviour: 34 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.

Crime by type

Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.

TypePer 1,000 a year
Robbery0.6
Burglary4.0
Violence and sexual offences44.5
Drugs5.5
Possession of weapons1.3
Other crime2.0
Other theft7.3
Theft from the person0.8
Vehicle crime2.6
Criminal damage and arson12.9
Public order8.3
Bicycle theft1.5
Shoplifting12.0

Postcode districts in Barnstaple

Nearby towns

Council: North Devon

Questions about crime in Barnstaple

Is Barnstaple a safe place to live?
Barnstaple scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.9 times the North Devon average.
Is crime going up or down in Barnstaple?
Up 8% over 5 years, from 1,944 recorded crimes a year to 2,108.
What is the most common crime in Barnstaple?
The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 44 per 1,000 residents a year.
How does crime in Barnstaple compare with North Devon?
Crime severity in Barnstaple is 1.9 times the North Devon average.