Crime in Torridge: statistics, rates and trends
3,849 crimes were recorded in Torridge in the 12 months to August 2026, 55.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Torridge at a glance
- Crime trends in Torridge
- Types of crime in Torridge
- Torridge compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Torridge
- Streets with the most crime in Torridge
- What happened after crimes were reported in Torridge
- Demographics of Torridge
- Fly-tipping in Torridge
- Questions about crime in Torridge
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,861), anti-social behaviour (441) and criminal damage and arson (326) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 277th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Torridge | Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,849 | 53,502 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 55.1 | 63.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 69,841 | 842,313 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Torridge peaked in the year to August 2025 (3,907 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (3,174). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 2%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,849 | 55.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,907 | 55.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,482 | 49.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,342 | 47.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,174 | 45.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,382 | 48.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,632 | 52.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,779 | 54.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 359 |
| July 2026 | 376 |
| June 2026 | 364 |
| May 2026 | 366 |
| April 2026 | 362 |
| March 2026 | 313 |
| February 2026 | 280 |
| January 2026 | 250 |
| December 2025 | 241 |
| November 2025 | 306 |
| October 2025 | 309 |
| September 2025 | 323 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (73% below) and drugs (71% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 49 to 92 and shoplifting rose from 200 to 288, while drugs fell from 112 to 66 and anti-social behaviour fell from 696 to 441.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,861 | 26.6 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 441 | 6.3 | 15.4 | -37% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 326 | 4.7 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 288 | 4.1 | 8.5 | +44% |
| Other theft | 265 | 3.8 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 232 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Burglary | 118 | 1.7 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Other crime | 98 | 1.4 | 2.1 | +15% |
| Vehicle crime | 92 | 1.3 | 5.0 | +88% |
| Drugs | 66 | 0.9 | 3.3 | -41% |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 0.4 | 1.0 | -31% |
| Robbery | 15 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 11 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Torridge; the highest is Plymouth district (109.5 per 1,000) and the lowest West Devon (44.5).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Torridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Devon | 7,112 | 70.3 | +27% |
| West Devon | 2,623 | 44.5 | -19% |
| Mid Devon | 4,941 | 58.1 | +5% |
| Exeter | 15,017 | 108.5 | +97% |
| Teignbridge | 8,148 | 58.8 | +7% |
| Plymouth | 29,802 | 109.5 | +99% |
| South Hams | 4,357 | 47.3 | -14% |
| East Devon | 7,455 | 47.1 | -15% |
Of the 21 areas within Torridge, Bideford North had the highest crime rate (142.7 per 1,000) and Hartland the lowest (17.7), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bideford North | Neighbourhood | 5,746 | 820 | 142.7 |
| Bideford | Town | 19,215 | 1,715 | 89.3 |
| Bideford West | Neighbourhood | 4,506 | 327 | 72.6 |
| Bideford East | Neighbourhood | 6,655 | 482 | 72.4 |
| Westward Ho! | Town | 4,494 | 316 | 70.3 |
| Great Torrington | Town | 5,925 | 337 | 56.9 |
| Holsworthy | Town | 4,986 | 268 | 53.8 |
| Bideford South | Neighbourhood | 2,116 | 103 | 48.7 |
| Winkleigh | Town | 2,316 | 100 | 43.2 |
| Appledore | Neighbourhood | 4,263 | 182 | 42.7 |
| Appledore (Torridge) | Town | 1,219 | 51 | 41.8 |
| Broadheath | Neighbourhood | 3,726 | 146 | 39.2 |
| Monkleigh & Putford | Neighbourhood | 5,248 | 200 | 38.1 |
| Milton & Tamarside | Neighbourhood | 3,524 | 129 | 36.6 |
| Hartland | Neighbourhood | 5,034 | 151 | 30.0 |
| Shebbear & Langtree | Neighbourhood | 3,658 | 109 | 29.8 |
| Northam | Town | 3,611 | 104 | 28.8 |
| Northam | Neighbourhood | 3,982 | 100 | 25.1 |
| Woolfardisworthy | Town | 1,696 | 42 | 24.8 |
| Two Rivers & Three Moors | Neighbourhood | 3,662 | 79 | 21.6 |
| Hartland | Town | 1,636 | 29 | 17.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Torridge over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (281).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 281 |
| On or near Supermarket | 208 |
| On or near The Quay | 97 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 76 |
| On or near Allhalland Street | 64 |
| On or near Graham Way | 60 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 59 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 56 |
| On or near Scratchface Lane | 49 |
| On or near A386 | 47 |
Of the 3,408 crimes in Torridge with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 441 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,571 | 46.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 684 | 20.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 593 | 17.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 156 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 126 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 85 | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 54 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 36 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 35 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Torridge has an estimated population of 69,841 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%) and more retired residents (32%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Torridge average decile 4.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Torridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.4 | 5.5 (England) |
270 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Torridge in 2024/25 (3.9 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Torridge has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Torridge a safe place to live?
Torridge recorded 55.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 277th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Torridge?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,861 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (441).
Is crime in Torridge going up or down?
Recorded crime in Torridge was down 1% on the year before: 3,849 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,907 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Torridge?
About 69,841 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Torridge?
Torridge is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.