Crime in Southway: statistics, rates and trends
897 crimes were recorded in Southway in the 12 months to August 2026, 65.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (524), criminal damage and arson (94) and anti-social behaviour (91) made up 79% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,418th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Southway | Plymouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 897 | 29,802 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 65.3 | 109.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +12% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 13,745 | 272,067 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Southway peaked in the year to August 2019 (978 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (715). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 897 | 65.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 801 | 58.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 715 | 52.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 877 | 63.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 966 | 70.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 900 | 65.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 978 | 71.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 928 | 67.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 74 |
| July 2026 | 82 |
| June 2026 | 78 |
| May 2026 | 65 |
| April 2026 | 71 |
| March 2026 | 90 |
| February 2026 | 65 |
| January 2026 | 81 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| November 2025 | 78 |
| October 2025 | 77 |
| September 2025 | 62 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (57% below) and public order (51% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 37 to 49 and criminal damage and arson rose from 72 to 94, while anti-social behaviour fell from 136 to 91.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 524 | 38.1 | 34.2 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 94 | 6.8 | 6.7 | +31% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 91 | 6.6 | 15.4 | -33% |
| Other theft | 49 | 3.6 | 6.4 | +32% |
| Public order | 45 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other crime | 27 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -10% |
| Burglary | 17 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 0.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 0.4 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Southway; the highest is Budshead (99.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Eggbuckland (52.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Southway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budshead | 1,324 | 99.0 | +52% |
| Moor View | 1,197 | 88.9 | +36% |
| Honicknowle | 1,406 | 97.1 | +49% |
| Eggbuckland | 680 | 52.1 | -20% |
| Ham | 1,326 | 87.9 | +35% |
| Peverell | 819 | 59.3 | -9% |
| Compton | 1,118 | 89.2 | +37% |
| St Budeaux | 1,254 | 94.7 | +45% |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Southway over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hendwell Close” (59).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hendwell Close | 59 |
| On or near Tresco Gardens | 36 |
| On or near Supermarket | 35 |
| On or near Pendeen Close | 25 |
| On or near Barbury Crescent | 23 |
| On or near Leatherby Close | 23 |
| On or near Inchkeith Road | 22 |
| On or near Lizard Close | 18 |
| On or near Cann Gardens | 17 |
| On or near Fleetwood Gardens | 17 |
Of the 806 crimes in Southway with a recorded outcome, 18% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 91 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 409 | 50.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 143 | 17.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 139 | 17.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 39 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 19 | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 15 | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Southway has an estimated population of 13,745 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (23%, against 17%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%) and less private renting (15%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Southway average decile 4.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Southway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Southway a safe place to live?
Southway recorded 65.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,418th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Southway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 524 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (94).
Is crime in Southway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Southway was up 12% on the year before: 897 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 801 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Southway?
About 13,745 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Southway?
Southway 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.