Crime in Ilfracombe: statistics, rates and trends
1,257 crimes were recorded in Ilfracombe in the 12 months to August 2026, 126.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ilfracombe at a glance
- Crime trends in Ilfracombe
- Types of crime in Ilfracombe
- Ilfracombe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ilfracombe
- Streets with the most crime in Ilfracombe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ilfracombe
- Demographics of Ilfracombe
- Questions about crime in Ilfracombe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (452), anti-social behaviour (232) and criminal damage and arson (139) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 141st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Ilfracombe | North Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,257 | 7,112 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 126.2 | 70.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -7% | -1% |
| Population | 9,957 | 101,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ilfracombe peaked in the year to August 2025 (1,374 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (797). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,257 | 126.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,374 | 138.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,057 | 106.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 797 | 80.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 947 | 95.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 992 | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,131 | 113.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,302 | 130.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 127 |
| July 2026 | 120 |
| June 2026 | 116 |
| May 2026 | 135 |
| April 2026 | 110 |
| March 2026 | 101 |
| February 2026 | 68 |
| January 2026 | 76 |
| December 2025 | 75 |
| November 2025 | 110 |
| October 2025 | 96 |
| September 2025 | 123 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ilfracombe recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.1 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (52% above the national rate) and shoplifting (44% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (35% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 21 to 33 and criminal damage and arson rose from 103 to 139, while anti-social behaviour fell from 332 to 232 and public order fell from 109 to 82.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 452 | 45.4 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 232 | 23.3 | 15.4 | -30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 139 | 14.0 | 6.7 | +35% |
| Shoplifting | 121 | 12.2 | 8.5 | -17% |
| Public order | 82 | 8.2 | 6.7 | -25% |
| Other theft | 74 | 7.4 | 6.4 | +9% |
| Burglary | 33 | 3.3 | 3.6 | +57% |
| Vehicle crime | 32 | 3.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 28 | 2.8 | 2.1 | -12% |
| Drugs | 27 | 2.7 | 3.3 | +8% |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 1.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 1.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ilfracombe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braunton | 307 | 38.0 | -70% |
| Barnstaple | 3,461 | 114.5 | -9% |
| Fremington | 156 | 29.0 | -77% |
| Bideford | 1,715 | 89.3 | -29% |
| Great Torrington | 337 | 56.9 | -55% |
| South Molton | 418 | 65.0 | -48% |
| Porthcawl | 1,291 | 79.4 | -37% |
| Minehead | 1,255 | 105.6 | -16% |
Of the 2 areas within Ilfracombe, Ilfracombe East had the highest crime rate (176.3 per 1,000) and Ilfracombe West the lowest (46.3), 4 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilfracombe East | Neighbourhood | 6,427 | 1,133 | 176.3 |
| Ilfracombe West | Neighbourhood | 4,642 | 215 | 46.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Ilfracombe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (181).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 181 |
| On or near Victoria Road | 118 |
| On or near Parking Area | 84 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 40 |
| On or near Meridian Place | 39 |
| On or near Riversdale Avenue | 37 |
| On or near Marlborough Way | 35 |
| On or near High Street | 33 |
| On or near Hillsborough Road | 29 |
| On or near Church Street | 24 |
Of the 1,025 crimes in Ilfracombe with a recorded outcome, 24% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 232 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 409 | 39.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 241 | 23.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 197 | 19.2% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 46 | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 34 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 2.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 23 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Ilfracombe has an estimated population of 9,957 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (31%, against 20%), fewer students (4.9%, against 7.9%) and less social housing (11%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ilfracombe average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ilfracombe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 27.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 14.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Ilfracombe a safe place to live?
Ilfracombe recorded 126.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 141st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Ilfracombe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 452 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (232).
Is crime in Ilfracombe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ilfracombe was down 9% on the year before: 1,257 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,374 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ilfracombe?
About 9,957 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ilfracombe?
Ilfracombe 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.