Crime in Chard South: statistics, rates and trends
866 crimes were recorded in Chard South in the 12 months to August 2026, 98.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Chard South at a glance
- Crime trends in Chard South
- Types of crime in Chard South
- Chard South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Chard South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Chard South
- Demographics of Chard South
- Questions about crime in Chard South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (374), shoplifting (114) and anti-social behaviour (97) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,281st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Chard South | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 866 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 98.0 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 8,835 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Chard South peaked in the year to August 2025 (923 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (655). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 866 | 98.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 923 | 104.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 887 | 100.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 655 | 74.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 831 | 94.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 813 | 92.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 779 | 88.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 861 | 97.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 833 | 94.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 56 |
| July 2026 | 72 |
| June 2026 | 83 |
| May 2026 | 80 |
| April 2026 | 72 |
| March 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 78 |
| January 2026 | 67 |
| December 2025 | 60 |
| November 2025 | 90 |
| October 2025 | 69 |
| September 2025 | 68 |
Compared with England and Wales, Chard South recorded notably more shoplifting (53% above the national rate) and public order (49% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (39% below) and anti-social behaviour (29% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson fell from 66 to 55.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 374 | 42.3 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 114 | 12.9 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 97 | 11.0 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Public order | 88 | 10.0 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 55 | 6.2 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Other theft | 52 | 5.9 | 6.4 | +4% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 3.1 | 5.0 | -4% |
| Other crime | 19 | 2.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 18 | 2.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 0.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Chard South has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Chard South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chard North | 1,060 | 97.9 | 0% |
| Ilminster | 555 | 49.9 | -49% |
| Crewkerne | 661 | 80.4 | -18% |
| South Petherton & Islemoor | 507 | 52.9 | -46% |
| Blackdown & Neroche | 798 | 87.7 | -11% |
| Taunton South | 828 | 77.5 | -21% |
| Coker | 648 | 62.1 | -37% |
| Comeytrowe & Trull | 637 | 52.0 | -47% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Chard South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (86).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 86 |
| On or near Tapstone Road | 62 |
| On or near Commercial Row | 57 |
| On or near Silver Street | 42 |
| On or near St Gildas | 27 |
| On or near Dwelly Close | 25 |
| On or near Dominy Close | 23 |
| On or near Holly Terrace | 23 |
| On or near Old Town | 20 |
| On or near Wessex Close | 20 |
Of the 769 crimes in Chard South with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 97 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 324 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 225 | 29.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 53 | 6.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 47 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 32 | 4.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 14 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Chard South has an estimated population of 8,835 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (3.7%, against 7.9%), an older population (27%, against 19%) and more retired residents (31%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Chard South average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Chard South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Chard South a safe place to live?
Chard South recorded 98.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,281st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and public order.
What is the most common crime in Chard South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 374 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (114).
Is crime in Chard South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Chard South was down 6% on the year before: 866 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 923 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Chard South?
About 8,835 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Chard South?
Chard South is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.