Crime in Drake: statistics, rates and trends
1,415 crimes were recorded in Drake in the 12 months to August 2026, 114.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (635), anti-social behaviour (177) and other theft (114) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 913th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Drake | Plymouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,415 | 29,802 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 114.9 | 109.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 12,318 | 272,067 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Drake peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,709 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,167). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,415 | 114.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,481 | 120.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,167 | 94.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,591 | 129.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,709 | 138.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,529 | 124.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,541 | 125.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,507 | 122.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 145 |
| July 2026 | 147 |
| June 2026 | 120 |
| May 2026 | 104 |
| April 2026 | 122 |
| March 2026 | 117 |
| February 2026 | 85 |
| January 2026 | 121 |
| December 2025 | 110 |
| November 2025 | 107 |
| October 2025 | 124 |
| September 2025 | 113 |
Compared with England and Wales, Drake recorded notably more possession of weapons (3.3 times the national rate), violence and sexual offences (51% above the national rate) and drugs (44% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (48% below). On the year before, public order rose from 61 to 88, while anti-social behaviour fell from 248 to 177 and shoplifting fell from 72 to 54.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 635 | 51.6 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 177 | 14.4 | 15.4 | -29% |
| Other theft | 114 | 9.3 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 99 | 8.0 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Public order | 88 | 7.1 | 6.7 | +44% |
| Drugs | 58 | 4.7 | 3.3 | -17% |
| Vehicle crime | 56 | 4.5 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 54 | 4.4 | 8.5 | -25% |
| Burglary | 46 | 3.7 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Possession of weapons | 39 | 3.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 18 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Drake; 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 Drake |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Peter and the Waterfront | 7,941 | 394.6 | +243% |
| Sutton and Mount Gould | 1,743 | 116.8 | +2% |
| Compton | 1,118 | 89.2 | -22% |
| Peverell | 819 | 59.3 | -48% |
| Efford and Lipson | 1,583 | 107.5 | -6% |
| Stoke | 1,724 | 125.4 | +9% |
| Devonport | 2,945 | 177.0 | +54% |
| Ham | 1,326 | 87.9 | -23% |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Drake over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (118).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 118 |
| On or near Diamond Avenue | 56 |
| On or near Sherwell Arcade | 48 |
| On or near North Hill | 42 |
| On or near Cobourg Street | 41 |
| On or near B3238 | 38 |
| On or near Greenbank Road | 36 |
| On or near St Michael'S Terrace | 36 |
| On or near Nightclub | 35 |
| On or near Glen Park Avenue | 34 |
Of the 1,238 crimes in Drake with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 177 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 504 | 40.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 294 | 23.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 217 | 17.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 65 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 52 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 37 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Drake has an estimated population of 12,318 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (54.9%, against 7.9%), more private renting (63%, against 20%) and more unemployed residents (7.6%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Drake average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Drake | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 6.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 6.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 38.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 7.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 7.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 54.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 8.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 43.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 24.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 63.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Drake a safe place to live?
Drake recorded 114.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 913th 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 violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Drake?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 635 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (177).
Is crime in Drake going up or down?
Recorded crime in Drake was down 4% on the year before: 1,415 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,481 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Drake?
About 12,318 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 6.0% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Drake?
Drake 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.