Crime in Devonport: statistics, rates and trends
2,945 crimes were recorded in Devonport in the 12 months to August 2026, 177.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Devonport at a glance
- Crime trends in Devonport
- Types of crime in Devonport
- Devonport compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Devonport
- What happened after crimes were reported in Devonport
- Demographics of Devonport
- Questions about crime in Devonport
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,174), shoplifting (423) and anti-social behaviour (384) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 273rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Devonport | Plymouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,945 | 29,802 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 177.0 | 109.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 16,642 | 272,067 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Devonport of any year here (2,945 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,945 | 177.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,609 | 156.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,340 | 140.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,152 | 129.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,214 | 133.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,439 | 146.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,419 | 145.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,347 | 141.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 312 |
| July 2026 | 280 |
| June 2026 | 301 |
| May 2026 | 291 |
| April 2026 | 241 |
| March 2026 | 236 |
| February 2026 | 210 |
| January 2026 | 212 |
| December 2025 | 222 |
| November 2025 | 185 |
| October 2025 | 222 |
| September 2025 | 233 |
Compared with England and Wales, Devonport recorded notably more possession of weapons (3.5 times the national rate), shoplifting (3.0 times the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (20% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 208 to 423 and burglary rose from 44 to 64, while other crime fell from 62 to 38 and drugs fell from 111 to 83.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,174 | 70.5 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 423 | 25.4 | 8.5 | +103% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 384 | 23.1 | 15.4 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 228 | 13.7 | 6.7 | +29% |
| Other theft | 207 | 12.4 | 6.4 | +44% |
| Public order | 148 | 8.9 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Drugs | 83 | 5.0 | 3.3 | -25% |
| Vehicle crime | 66 | 4.0 | 5.0 | +25% |
| Burglary | 64 | 3.8 | 3.6 | +45% |
| Possession of weapons | 57 | 3.4 | 1.0 | +21% |
| Other crime | 38 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -39% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 2.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 28 | 1.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Devonport; the highest is St Peter and the Waterfront (394.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Peverell (59.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Devonport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stoke | 1,724 | 125.4 | -29% |
| Ham | 1,326 | 87.9 | -50% |
| St Peter and the Waterfront | 7,941 | 394.6 | +123% |
| Peverell | 819 | 59.3 | -66% |
| St Budeaux | 1,254 | 94.7 | -46% |
| Drake | 1,415 | 114.9 | -35% |
| Compton | 1,118 | 89.2 | -50% |
| Honicknowle | 1,406 | 97.1 | -45% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Devonport over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (349).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 349 |
| On or near Princes Street | 230 |
| On or near Marlborough Row | 147 |
| On or near Wolseley Road | 84 |
| On or near Charles Darwin Road | 59 |
| On or near Albert Road | 55 |
| On or near Clowance Street | 54 |
| On or near Duncan Street | 54 |
| On or near Granby Street | 54 |
| On or near Curtis Street | 49 |
Of the 2,561 crimes in Devonport with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 384 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,085 | 42.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 522 | 20.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 431 | 16.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 215 | 8.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 105 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 62 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 33 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 29 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 28 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 21 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Devonport has an estimated population of 16,642 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (31%, against 17%), more households without a car (37%, against 23%) and more private renting (30%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Devonport average decile 2.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Devonport | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 36.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 39.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 30.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 30.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 29.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Devonport a safe place to live?
Devonport recorded 177.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 273rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Devonport?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,174 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (423).
Is crime in Devonport going up or down?
Recorded crime in Devonport was up 13% on the year before: 2,945 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,609 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Devonport?
About 16,642 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Devonport?
Devonport 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.