Crime in Great Torrington: statistics, rates and trends
337 crimes were recorded in Great Torrington in the 12 months to August 2026, 56.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Great Torrington at a glance
- Crime trends in Great Torrington
- Types of crime in Great Torrington
- Great Torrington compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Great Torrington
- Streets with the most crime in Great Torrington
- What happened after crimes were reported in Great Torrington
- Demographics of Great Torrington
- Questions about crime in Great Torrington
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (177), shoplifting (34) and anti-social behaviour (28) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,018th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Great Torrington | Torridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 337 | 3,849 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 56.9 | 55.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 5,925 | 69,841 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Great Torrington peaked in the year to August 2025 (343 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (250). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 6%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 337 | 56.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 343 | 57.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 288 | 48.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 296 | 50.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 332 | 56.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 312 | 52.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 250 | 42.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 318 | 53.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 31 |
| July 2026 | 28 |
| June 2026 | 32 |
| May 2026 | 34 |
| April 2026 | 20 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 30 |
| January 2026 | 20 |
| December 2025 | 24 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 26 |
| September 2025 | 38 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (69% below) and other theft (42% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 138 to 177, while anti-social behaviour fell from 71 to 28 and criminal damage and arson fell from 35 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 177 | 29.9 | 34.2 | +28% |
| Shoplifting | 34 | 5.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Anti-social behaviour | 28 | 4.7 | 15.4 | -61% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 27 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Public order | 24 | 4.1 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Other theft | 22 | 3.7 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 5 | 0.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 4 | 0.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Great Torrington; the highest is Ilfracombe (126.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Fremington (29.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Great Torrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bideford | 1,715 | 89.3 | +57% |
| Fremington | 156 | 29.0 | -49% |
| Barnstaple | 3,461 | 114.5 | +101% |
| Braunton | 307 | 38.0 | -33% |
| South Molton | 418 | 65.0 | +14% |
| Okehampton | 686 | 66.7 | +17% |
| Ilfracombe | 1,257 | 126.2 | +122% |
| Bude | 560 | 68.9 | +21% |
Great Torrington is the one area listed within Great Torrington, with 56.9 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Torrington | Neighbourhood | 5,925 | 337 | 56.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Great Torrington over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (43).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 43 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 29 |
| On or near Calvesford Close | 18 |
| On or near Supermarket | 15 |
| On or near Potacre Street | 14 |
| On or near Cornmarket Street | 12 |
| On or near John Howe Close | 12 |
| On or near A386 | 11 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 11 |
| On or near Hospital | 10 |
Of the 309 crimes in Great Torrington with a recorded outcome, 13% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 28 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 164 | 53.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 46 | 14.9% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 41 | 13.3% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 5 | 1.6% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
Great Torrington has an estimated population of 5,925 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (29%, against 22%) and an older population (25%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Great Torrington average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Great Torrington | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Great Torrington a safe place to live?
Great Torrington recorded 56.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,018th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Great Torrington?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 177 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (34).
Is crime in Great Torrington going up or down?
Recorded crime in Great Torrington was down 2% on the year before: 337 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 343 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Great Torrington?
About 5,925 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Great Torrington?
Great Torrington 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.