Crime in Devizes: statistics, rates and trends
1,739 crimes were recorded in Devizes in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (667), anti-social behaviour (453) and shoplifting (152) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 413th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Devizes | Wiltshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,739 | 31,724 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.2 | 60.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 18,261 | 523,700 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Devizes of any year here (1,739 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 1%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,739 | 95.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,764 | 96.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,842 | 100.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,793 | 98.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,067 | 113.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,847 | 101.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,802 | 98.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,741 | 95.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,757 | 96.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 155 |
| July 2026 | 168 |
| June 2026 | 182 |
| May 2026 | 145 |
| April 2026 | 136 |
| March 2026 | 154 |
| February 2026 | 131 |
| January 2026 | 157 |
| December 2025 | 127 |
| November 2025 | 143 |
| October 2025 | 125 |
| September 2025 | 116 |
Compared with England and Wales, Devizes recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (61% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (61% below) and drugs (45% below). On the year before, burglary fell from 50 to 25 and drugs fell from 57 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 667 | 36.5 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 453 | 24.8 | 15.4 | +13% |
| Shoplifting | 152 | 8.3 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 148 | 8.1 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Public order | 105 | 5.7 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Other theft | 83 | 4.5 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Drugs | 33 | 1.8 | 3.3 | -42% |
| Burglary | 25 | 1.4 | 3.6 | -50% |
| Other crime | 25 | 1.4 | 2.1 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 14 | 0.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Devizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calne | 1,148 | 54.2 | -43% |
| Melksham | 1,375 | 74.1 | -22% |
| Chippenham (Wiltshire) | 1,727 | 49.4 | -48% |
| Trowbridge | 4,063 | 95.1 | 0% |
| Corsham | 387 | 44.5 | -53% |
| Westbury (Wiltshire) | 1,017 | 56.5 | -41% |
| Lyneham | 114 | 19.7 | -79% |
| Bradford-on-Avon | 459 | 48.6 | -49% |
Of the 4 areas within Devizes, Devizes North had the highest crime rate (202.6 per 1,000) and Bromham, Rowde & Roundway the lowest (56.4), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devizes North | Neighbourhood | 3,346 | 678 | 202.6 |
| Devizes South | Neighbourhood | 4,394 | 315 | 71.7 |
| Devizes East | Neighbourhood | 7,907 | 525 | 66.4 |
| Bromham, Rowde & Roundway | Neighbourhood | 5,179 | 292 | 56.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Devizes over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (189).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 189 |
| On or near Monday Market Street | 62 |
| On or near Maryport Street | 57 |
| On or near Wine Street | 54 |
| On or near Estcourt Crescent | 53 |
| On or near Moyne Close | 40 |
| On or near Chivers Road | 38 |
| On or near The Old Brewery | 37 |
| On or near Longcroft Avenue | 36 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 33 |
Of the 1,286 crimes in Devizes with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 453 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 432 | 33.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 331 | 25.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 196 | 15.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 90 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 70 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 62 | 4.8% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 36 | 2.8% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 30 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Devizes has an estimated population of 18,261 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%), an older population (25%, against 19%) and more social housing (23%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Devizes average decile 6.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Devizes | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Devizes a safe place to live?
Devizes recorded 95.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 413th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Devizes?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 667 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (453).
Is crime in Devizes going up or down?
Recorded crime in Devizes was down 1% on the year before: 1,739 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,764 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Devizes?
About 18,261 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Devizes?
Devizes is policed by Wiltshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.