Crime in Exeter district: statistics, rates and trends
15,017 crimes were recorded in Exeter district in the 12 months to August 2026, 108.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Exeter district at a glance
- Crime trends in Exeter district
- Types of crime in Exeter district
- Home Office recorded crime in Exeter district
- Exeter district compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Exeter district
- Streets with the most crime in Exeter district
- What happened after crimes were reported in Exeter district
- Demographics of Exeter district
- Fly-tipping in Exeter
- Questions about crime in Exeter district
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (6,132), anti-social behaviour (2,169) and shoplifting (1,507) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 77th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Exeter district | Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 15,017 | 53,502 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 108.5 | 63.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 138,399 | 842,313 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Exeter district peaked in the year to August 2025 (15,723 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (12,296). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 15,017 | 108.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 15,723 | 113.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 13,497 | 97.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 12,296 | 88.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 12,461 | 90.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 12,318 | 89.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 13,779 | 99.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 14,003 | 101.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,295 |
| July 2026 | 1,452 |
| June 2026 | 1,354 |
| May 2026 | 1,310 |
| April 2026 | 1,251 |
| March 2026 | 1,276 |
| February 2026 | 1,169 |
| January 2026 | 1,145 |
| December 2025 | 1,107 |
| November 2025 | 1,173 |
| October 2025 | 1,190 |
| September 2025 | 1,295 |
Compared with England and Wales, Exeter district recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.7 times the national rate), violence and sexual offences (29% above the national rate) and shoplifting (29% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (54% below) and vehicle crime (45% below). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 194 to 303 and vehicle crime rose from 246 to 377, while shoplifting fell from 2,465 to 1,507 and anti-social behaviour fell from 2,718 to 2,169.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 6,132 | 44.3 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,169 | 15.7 | 15.4 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 1,507 | 10.9 | 8.5 | -39% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,155 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Public order | 976 | 7.1 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Other theft | 885 | 6.4 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Burglary | 409 | 3.0 | 3.6 | +7% |
| Drugs | 399 | 2.9 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Vehicle crime | 377 | 2.7 | 5.0 | +53% |
| Other crime | 315 | 2.3 | 2.1 | +27% |
| Bicycle theft | 303 | 2.2 | 0.8 | +56% |
| Possession of weapons | 156 | 1.1 | 1.0 | -13% |
| Robbery | 127 | 0.9 | 1.4 | +20% |
| Theft from the person | 107 | 0.8 | 1.7 | -4% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
13,296 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in Exeter district in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 96.1 per 1,000 residents, higher than the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was almost unchanged on the year ending March 2025 (13,327), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, Exeter district had the 60th highest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 302 districts with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in Exeter district, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 2,464 offences (19% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for bicycle theft (2.3 times the national rate), shoplifting (1.6 times the national rate) and other sexual offences (1.5 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for arson (0.44 times), theft from the person (0.46 times) and vehicle offences (0.46 times).
The largest rises on the year were in bicycle theft (+60%) and non-residential burglary (+36%). The largest falls were in arson (−32%) and possession of drugs (−25%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 2,464 | 17.8 | 13.2 | 1.35 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 1,802 | 13.0 | 8.1 | 1.60 | – |
| Violence with injury | 1,562 | 11.3 | 8.1 | 1.39 | +1% |
| Stalking and harassment | 1,516 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 1.09 | +36% |
| Criminal damage | 1,169 | 8.4 | 6.8 | 1.24 | +4% |
| Public order offences | 1,061 | 7.7 | 7.0 | 1.10 | +12% |
| Other theft offences | 895 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 0.99 | −9% |
| Other sexual offences | 459 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 1.46 | +6% |
| Vehicle offences | 322 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 0.46 | +14% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 284 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.98 | −11% |
| Possession of drugs | 274 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.79 | −25% |
| Bicycle theft | 274 | 2.0 | 0.85 | 2.32 | +60% |
| Residential burglary | 222 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.64 | +10% |
| Rape | 219 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.31 | −12% |
| Non-residential burglary | 202 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.30 | +36% |
| Possession of weapons | 185 | 1.3 | 1.00 | 1.34 | +11% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 113 | 0.82 | 1.2 | 0.69 | −24% |
| Theft from the person | 113 | 0.82 | 1.8 | 0.46 | −12% |
| Robbery of personal property | 82 | 0.59 | 0.91 | 0.65 | −8% |
| Robbery of business property | 49 | 0.35 | 0.47 | 0.75 | – |
| Arson | 23 | 0.17 | 0.38 | 0.44 | −32% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 5 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 1.04 | −50% |
| Homicide | 1 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.90 | 0% |
Recorded crime in Exeter district since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. Exeter district's rate was above the England and Wales rate in 5 of those 14 years and below it in 9. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13,296 | 96.1 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 13,327 | 96.3 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 11,097 | 80.2 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 10,397 | 75.1 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 9,767 | 70.6 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 8,036 | 58.1 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 9,722 | 70.2 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 10,854 | 78.4 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 10,053 | 72.6 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 9,274 | 67.0 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 8,002 | 57.8 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 8,262 | 59.7 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 8,608 | 62.2 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 8,848 | 63.9 | 56.7 |
Districts in the Devon & Cornwall Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 4 districts in the Devon & Cornwall Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Exeter district had the highest rate. Isles of Scilly is not in the table because it has too few recorded offences for a reliable rate. East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge, Torridge and West Devon are not in the table because the Home Office publishes each of them jointly with a neighbouring district, as one community safety partnership.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter | 13,296 | 96.1 | 1.15 |
| Torbay | 13,086 | 93.4 | 1.12 |
| Plymouth | 25,339 | 93.1 | 1.12 |
| Cornwall | 36,590 | 62.7 | 0.75 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
1 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Exeter district; the highest is Torbay (108.9 per 1,000) and the lowest West Devon (44.5).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Exeter district |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Devon | 4,941 | 58.1 | -46% |
| East Devon | 7,455 | 47.1 | -57% |
| Teignbridge | 8,148 | 58.8 | -46% |
| Torbay | 15,261 | 108.9 | 0% |
| West Devon | 2,623 | 44.5 | -59% |
| South Hams | 4,357 | 47.3 | -56% |
| North Devon | 7,112 | 70.3 | -35% |
| Torridge | 3,849 | 55.1 | -49% |
Of the 15 areas within Exeter district, St David's had the highest crime rate (396.6 per 1,000) and Topsham the lowest (47.0), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St David's | Neighbourhood | 9,875 | 3,916 | 396.6 |
| St Loyes | Neighbourhood | 6,899 | 1,050 | 152.2 |
| Newtown and St Leonard's | Neighbourhood | 12,942 | 1,602 | 123.8 |
| Priory | Neighbourhood | 9,693 | 1,165 | 120.2 |
| Exeter | Town | 132,318 | 14,661 | 110.8 |
| Alphington | Neighbourhood | 8,559 | 822 | 96.0 |
| St Thomas | Neighbourhood | 10,889 | 985 | 90.5 |
| Pinhoe | Neighbourhood | 13,342 | 1,059 | 79.4 |
| Mincinglake and Whipton | Neighbourhood | 9,353 | 727 | 77.7 |
| Duryard and St James | Neighbourhood | 16,077 | 1,221 | 75.9 |
| Topsham | Neighbourhood | 10,100 | 671 | 66.4 |
| Heavitree | Neighbourhood | 10,267 | 660 | 64.3 |
| Pennsylvania | Neighbourhood | 11,419 | 640 | 56.0 |
| Exwick | Neighbourhood | 8,984 | 499 | 55.5 |
| Topsham | Town | 3,684 | 173 | 47.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 27% of the crime recorded in Exeter district over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (918).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 918 |
| On or near Supermarket | 751 |
| On or near North Street | 515 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 461 |
| On or near Nightclub | 382 |
| On or near Little Queen Street | 262 |
| On or near Barle Close | 252 |
| On or near Hospital | 228 |
| On or near Rackclose Lane | 177 |
| On or near Cathedral Yard | 155 |
Of the 12,848 crimes in Exeter district with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,169 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 5,444 | 42.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,356 | 26.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,812 | 14.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 636 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 512 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 267 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 228 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 218 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 156 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 64 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 64 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 63 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
Exeter district has an estimated population of 138,399 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (20.3%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with no qualifications (14%, against 18%) and more private renting (25%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Exeter district average decile 6.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Exeter district | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 20.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.4 | 5.5 (England) |
1,115 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Exeter in 2024/25 (8.1 per 1,000 residents; the council counts only fly-tips reported by the public), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Exeter has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Exeter district a safe place to live?
Exeter district recorded 108.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 77th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Exeter district?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 6,132 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,169).
Is crime in Exeter district going up or down?
Recorded crime in Exeter district was down 4% on the year before: 15,017 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 15,723 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Exeter district?
About 138,399 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Exeter district?
Exeter district is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
How many crimes did the police record in Exeter district in the year ending March 2026?
13,296 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 96.1 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 13,327.
Which offences are more common in Exeter district than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were bicycle theft (274 offences, 2.3 times the England and Wales rate), shoplifting (1,802 offences, 1.6 times the England and Wales rate) and other sexual offences (459 offences, 1.5 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.