Crime in Bideford
Recorded crime in Bideford is 1.6 times the Torridge average and 0.8 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 13%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Bideford: about 16,092 residents in 12 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 5/10Average crime
- Living
- 6.6/10Good
- 5-year change
- +13%more crimes
- vs the council
- 1.6×the Torridge average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Bideford.
Crime over 5 years
Up 13% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Bideford, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.6× the Torridge average (0.8× the England and Wales average). 66 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 76% of the harm here
- Burglary: 7% of the harm here
- Drugs: 5% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 76% 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: 22 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.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.3 |
| Burglary | 1.9 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 31.5 |
| Drugs | 2.6 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.7 |
| Other crime | 1.3 |
| Other theft | 4.5 |
| Theft from the person | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime | 1.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9.5 |
| Public order | 4.8 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 6.5 |
Postcode districts in Bideford
Nearby towns
Council: Torridge
Questions about crime in Bideford
- Is Bideford a safe place to live?
- Bideford scores 5 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.6 times the Torridge average.
- Is crime going up or down in Bideford?
- Up 13% over 5 years, from 1,041 recorded crimes a year to 1,177.
- What is the most common crime in Bideford?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 32 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Bideford compare with Torridge?
- Crime severity in Bideford is 1.6 times the Torridge average.