Crime in Bideford: statistics, rates and trends
1,715 crimes were recorded in Bideford in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bideford at a glance
- Crime trends in Bideford
- Types of crime in Bideford
- Bideford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bideford
- Streets with the most crime in Bideford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bideford
- Demographics of Bideford
- Questions about crime in Bideford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (695), anti-social behaviour (257) and shoplifting (209) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 480th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Bideford | Torridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,715 | 3,849 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.3 | 55.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 19,215 | 69,841 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bideford peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,943 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,364). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,715 | 89.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,748 | 91.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,750 | 91.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,596 | 83.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,364 | 71.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,672 | 87.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,943 | 101.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,812 | 94.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 162 |
| July 2026 | 170 |
| June 2026 | 154 |
| May 2026 | 159 |
| April 2026 | 136 |
| March 2026 | 145 |
| February 2026 | 141 |
| January 2026 | 98 |
| December 2025 | 104 |
| November 2025 | 146 |
| October 2025 | 152 |
| September 2025 | 148 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bideford recorded notably more shoplifting (29% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (51% below) and burglary (40% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 156 to 209, while drugs fell from 61 to 41 and anti-social behaviour fell from 348 to 257.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 695 | 36.2 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 257 | 13.4 | 15.4 | -26% |
| Shoplifting | 209 | 10.9 | 8.5 | +34% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 137 | 7.1 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Other theft | 108 | 5.6 | 6.4 | +4% |
| Public order | 106 | 5.5 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 47 | 2.4 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 41 | 2.1 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Drugs | 41 | 2.1 | 3.3 | -33% |
| Other crime | 36 | 1.9 | 2.1 | +12% |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bideford; the highest is Ilfracombe (126.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Fremington (29.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bideford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremington | 156 | 29.0 | -67% |
| Great Torrington | 337 | 56.9 | -36% |
| Braunton | 307 | 38.0 | -57% |
| Barnstaple | 3,461 | 114.5 | +28% |
| Ilfracombe | 1,257 | 126.2 | +41% |
| South Molton | 418 | 65.0 | -27% |
| Bude | 560 | 68.9 | -23% |
| Okehampton | 686 | 66.7 | -25% |
Of the 4 areas within Bideford, Bideford North had the highest crime rate (142.7 per 1,000) and Bideford South the lowest (48.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bideford North | Neighbourhood | 5,746 | 820 | 142.7 |
| Bideford West | Neighbourhood | 4,506 | 327 | 72.6 |
| Bideford East | Neighbourhood | 6,655 | 482 | 72.4 |
| Bideford South | Neighbourhood | 2,116 | 103 | 48.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Bideford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (176).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 176 |
| On or near The Quay | 96 |
| On or near Allhalland Street | 64 |
| On or near Parking Area | 62 |
| On or near Scratchface Lane | 46 |
| On or near A386 | 36 |
| On or near Adams Court | 34 |
| On or near Barton Tors | 33 |
| On or near Willet Street | 29 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 25 |
Of the 1,458 crimes in Bideford with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 257 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 646 | 44.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 292 | 20.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 256 | 17.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 75 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 72 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 42 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 17 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 15 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 6 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Bideford has an estimated population of 19,215 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (24%, against 34%) and an older population (24%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bideford average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bideford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bideford a safe place to live?
Bideford recorded 89.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 480th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Bideford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 695 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (257).
Is crime in Bideford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bideford was down 2% on the year before: 1,715 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,748 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bideford?
About 19,215 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bideford?
Bideford 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.