Crime in St Peter and the Waterfront: statistics, rates and trends
7,941 crimes were recorded in St Peter and the Waterfront in the 12 months to August 2026, 394.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Peter and the Waterfront at a glance
- Crime trends in St Peter and the Waterfront
- Types of crime in St Peter and the Waterfront
- St Peter and the Waterfront compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Peter and the Waterfront
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Peter and the Waterfront
- Demographics of St Peter and the Waterfront
- Questions about crime in St Peter and the Waterfront
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (3,082), anti-social behaviour (1,485) and shoplifting (773) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 35th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | St Peter and the Waterfront | Plymouth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 7,941 | 29,802 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 394.6 | 109.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 20,126 | 272,067 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in St Peter and the Waterfront of any year here (7,941 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it was almost unchanged, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 7,941 | 394.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 7,610 | 378.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 6,639 | 329.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,324 | 314.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 6,133 | 304.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 6,871 | 341.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 7,847 | 389.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,931 | 394.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 768 |
| July 2026 | 808 |
| June 2026 | 689 |
| May 2026 | 732 |
| April 2026 | 693 |
| March 2026 | 653 |
| February 2026 | 566 |
| January 2026 | 610 |
| December 2025 | 590 |
| November 2025 | 613 |
| October 2025 | 626 |
| September 2025 | 593 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Peter and the Waterfront recorded notably more possession of weapons (6.7 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (4.8 times the national rate) and shoplifting (4.5 times the national rate). On the year before, robbery rose from 71 to 97 and other theft rose from 448 to 556, while vehicle crime fell from 169 to 113 and drugs fell from 383 to 282.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,082 | 153.1 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,485 | 73.8 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 773 | 38.4 | 8.5 | +14% |
| Public order | 575 | 28.6 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Other theft | 556 | 27.6 | 6.4 | +24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 504 | 25.0 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Drugs | 282 | 14.0 | 3.3 | -26% |
| Possession of weapons | 131 | 6.5 | 1.0 | +10% |
| Burglary | 130 | 6.5 | 3.6 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 113 | 5.6 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Other crime | 98 | 4.9 | 2.1 | -10% |
| Robbery | 97 | 4.8 | 1.4 | +37% |
| Theft from the person | 81 | 4.0 | 1.7 | -16% |
| Bicycle theft | 34 | 1.7 | 0.8 | -19% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
St Peter and the Waterfront has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Peter and the Waterfront |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drake | 1,415 | 114.9 | -71% |
| Stoke | 1,724 | 125.4 | -68% |
| Sutton and Mount Gould | 1,743 | 116.8 | -70% |
| Devonport | 2,945 | 177.0 | -55% |
| Peverell | 819 | 59.3 | -85% |
| Compton | 1,118 | 89.2 | -77% |
| Efford and Lipson | 1,583 | 107.5 | -73% |
| Ham | 1,326 | 87.9 | -78% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in St Peter and the Waterfront over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,343).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,343 |
| On or near Royal Parade | 345 |
| On or near Old Town Street | 297 |
| On or near Nightclub | 252 |
| On or near George Place | 221 |
| On or near Supermarket | 217 |
| On or near Police Station | 209 |
| On or near Union Street | 196 |
| On or near Market Way | 122 |
| On or near Whitefriars Lane | 104 |
Of the 6,456 crimes in St Peter and the Waterfront with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,485 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 2,554 | 39.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,552 | 24.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,057 | 16.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 489 | 7.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 228 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 160 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 155 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 104 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 65 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 40 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 26 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 14 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
St Peter and the Waterfront has an estimated population of 20,126 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (19.2%, against 7.9%), more households without a car (50%, against 23%) and more private renting (41%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Peter and the Waterfront average decile 1.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Peter and the Waterfront | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 19.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 50.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 26.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 32.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 41.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 46.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is St Peter and the Waterfront a safe place to live?
St Peter and the Waterfront recorded 394.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 35th 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 anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in St Peter and the Waterfront?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 3,082 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,485).
Is crime in St Peter and the Waterfront going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Peter and the Waterfront was up 4% on the year before: 7,941 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 7,610 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Peter and the Waterfront?
About 20,126 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Peter and the Waterfront?
St Peter and the Waterfront 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.