Crime in Dawlish: statistics, rates and trends
1,014 crimes were recorded in Dawlish in the 12 months to July 2026, 83.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Dawlish at a glance
- Crime trends in Dawlish
- Types of crime in Dawlish
- Dawlish compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Dawlish
- Streets with the most crime in Dawlish
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dawlish
- Population and deprivation in Dawlish
- Questions about crime in Dawlish
- About this data
1,014 crimes were recorded in Dawlish in the 12 months to July 2026, 83.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 2% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 487 reports (48% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Dawlish has the 561st highest crime rate.
| Measure | Dawlish | Teignbridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,014 | 8,128 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.2 | 58.7 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 12,193 | 138,548 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Dawlish was highest in the year to July 2025 (1,038 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2020 (500). Over the whole period it rose 56%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,014 | 83.2 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,038 | 85.1 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 791 | 64.9 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2022 | 653 | 53.6 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 662 | 54.3 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 500 | 41.0 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 660 | 54.1 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 652 | 53.5 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 78 |
| June 2026 | 85 |
| May 2026 | 79 |
| April 2026 | 92 |
| March 2026 | 98 |
| February 2026 | 71 |
| January 2026 | 92 |
| December 2025 | 75 |
| November 2025 | 104 |
| October 2025 | 70 |
| September 2025 | 65 |
| August 2025 | 105 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Dawlish over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in shoplifting (+43%) and other theft (+28%).
The largest falls were in burglary (-52%) and anti-social behaviour (-51%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 487 | 39.9 | 1.17 | +14% |
| Shoplifting | 124 | 10.2 | 1.23 | +43% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 95 | 7.8 | 1.15 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 93 | 7.6 | 0.50 | -51% |
| Public order | 64 | 5.2 | 0.79 | +0% |
| Other theft | 59 | 4.8 | 0.76 | +28% |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.6 | 0.78 | +43% |
| Drugs | 19 | 1.6 | 0.48 | -27% |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 1.5 | 0.30 | -40% |
| Burglary | 16 | 1.3 | 0.37 | -52% |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.5 | 0.51 | +20% |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.50 | +400% |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.4 | 0.30 | +67% |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 0.15 | -57% |
Violence and sexual offences in Dawlish
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Dawlish recorded 487 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (39.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 48.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Dawlish
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Dawlish recorded 124 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 43% on the year before. It made up 12.2% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Dawlish
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Dawlish recorded 95 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 9.4% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Dawlish
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Dawlish recorded 93 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 51% on the year before. It made up 9.2% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Dawlish
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Dawlish recorded 64 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 6.3% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Dawlish
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Dawlish recorded 59 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 28% on the year before. It made up 5.8% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Dawlish
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Dawlish recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 43% on the year before. It made up 2.0% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Dawlish
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Dawlish recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Dawlish
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Dawlish recorded 18 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 40% on the year before. It made up 1.8% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Dawlish
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Dawlish recorded 16 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 52% on the year before. It made up 1.6% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Dawlish
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Dawlish recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 20% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Dawlish
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Dawlish recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 400% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Dawlish
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Dawlish recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 67% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Dawlish
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Dawlish recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 57% on the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Dawlish, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Dawlish.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dawlish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teignmouth | 1,117 | 74.6 | -10% |
| Exmouth | 2,331 | 64.4 | -23% |
| Chudleigh | 218 | 41.5 | -50% |
| Kingsteignton | 626 | 47.8 | -42% |
| Newton Abbot | 2,488 | 83.6 | +1% |
| Torquay | 7,339 | 144.3 | +73% |
| Bovey Tracey | 195 | 33.8 | -59% |
| Exeter | 14,657 | 110.8 | +33% |
2 areas within Dawlish, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Dawlish South West had the highest rate (86.0 per 1,000) and Dawlish North East the lowest (76.6). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawlish South West | Neighbourhood | 6,700 | 576 | 86.0 |
| Dawlish North East | Neighbourhood | 8,851 | 678 | 76.6 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Dawlish over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 121 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 75 |
| On or near Kestrel Way | 39 |
| On or near Church Street | 38 |
| On or near Parking Area | 28 |
| On or near Queen Street | 28 |
| On or near Orchard Gardens | 26 |
| On or near Third Avenue | 23 |
| On or near Exeter Road | 22 |
| On or near Second Avenue | 22 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Dawlish over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 459 | 45.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 209 | 20.6% |
| Under investigation | 102 | 10.1% |
| Not recorded | 93 | 9.2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 49 | 4.8% |
| Status update unavailable | 31 | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 1.9% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 1.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.5% |
Dawlish has an estimated population of 12,193. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Dawlish sits in decile 4.9, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Dawlish |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 56.0% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.6% |
| Social rented homes | 12.2% |
| Private rented homes | 22.1% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 |
Is Dawlish a safe place to live?
Dawlish recorded 83.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Dawlish?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 487 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by shoplifting (124).
Is crime in Dawlish going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dawlish was down 2% on the year before: 1,014 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,038 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Dawlish?
Dawlish is policed by Devon & Cornwall. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Dawlish. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.