Crime in Bude: statistics, rates and trends
560 crimes were recorded in Bude in the 12 months to August 2026, 68.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 21% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (259), anti-social behaviour (66) and shoplifting (64) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 798th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Bude | Cornwall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 560 | 41,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 68.9 | 71.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -21% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 8,129 | 583,289 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bude peaked in the year to August 2024 (752 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (515). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 560 | 68.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 705 | 86.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 752 | 92.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 584 | 71.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 564 | 69.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 515 | 63.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 598 | 73.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 626 | 77.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 62 |
| July 2026 | 50 |
| June 2026 | 40 |
| May 2026 | 61 |
| April 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 27 |
| February 2026 | 38 |
| January 2026 | 39 |
| December 2025 | 35 |
| November 2025 | 49 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 66 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (47% below) and public order (46% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting fell from 119 to 64 and public order fell from 52 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 259 | 31.9 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 66 | 8.1 | 15.4 | -31% |
| Shoplifting | 64 | 7.9 | 8.5 | -46% |
| Other theft | 49 | 6.0 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 48 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Public order | 29 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -44% |
| Burglary | 14 | 1.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 3 | 0.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bude; the highest is Liskeard (114.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Fremington (29.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | 841 | 102.1 | +48% |
| Bideford | 1,715 | 89.3 | +30% |
| Great Torrington | 337 | 56.9 | -17% |
| Fremington | 156 | 29.0 | -58% |
| Okehampton | 686 | 66.7 | -3% |
| Braunton | 307 | 38.0 | -45% |
| Wadebridge | 398 | 76.7 | +11% |
| Liskeard | 1,337 | 114.2 | +66% |
Of the 2 areas within Bude, Bude had the highest crime rate (89.8 per 1,000) and Stratton, Kilkhampton & Morwenstow the lowest (38.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bude | Neighbourhood | 5,289 | 475 | 89.8 |
| Stratton, Kilkhampton & Morwenstow | Neighbourhood | 8,056 | 308 | 38.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Bude over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (103).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 103 |
| On or near Parking Area | 31 |
| On or near Nightclub | 25 |
| On or near Granville Terrace | 17 |
| On or near Primrose Road | 17 |
| On or near Chough Close | 16 |
| On or near Elizabeth Road | 15 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 14 |
| On or near Stone Hill | 14 |
| On or near Swallow Close | 13 |
Of the 494 crimes in Bude with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 66 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 216 | 43.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 131 | 26.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 85 | 17.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 2.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Bude has an estimated population of 8,129 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (32%, against 19%), more retired residents (36%, against 22%) and fewer students (3.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bude average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bude | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 46.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 36.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bude a safe place to live?
Bude recorded 68.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 798th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Bude?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 259 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (66).
Is crime in Bude going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bude was down 21% on the year before: 560 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 705 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bude?
About 8,129 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 32% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bude?
Bude 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.