Crime in Newton Abbot: statistics, rates and trends
2,527 crimes were recorded in Newton Abbot in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Newton Abbot at a glance
- Crime trends in Newton Abbot
- Types of crime in Newton Abbot
- Newton Abbot compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Newton Abbot
- Streets with the most crime in Newton Abbot
- What happened after crimes were reported in Newton Abbot
- Demographics of Newton Abbot
- Questions about crime in Newton Abbot
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,148), anti-social behaviour (316) and shoplifting (280) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 534th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Newton Abbot | Teignbridge | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,527 | 8,148 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.9 | 58.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 29,748 | 138,548 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Newton Abbot peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,895 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (2,078). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,527 | 84.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,634 | 88.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,416 | 81.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,078 | 69.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,393 | 80.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,370 | 79.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,840 | 95.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,895 | 97.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 275 |
| July 2026 | 257 |
| June 2026 | 214 |
| May 2026 | 232 |
| April 2026 | 180 |
| March 2026 | 195 |
| February 2026 | 193 |
| January 2026 | 160 |
| December 2025 | 164 |
| November 2025 | 213 |
| October 2025 | 211 |
| September 2025 | 233 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (73% below) and public order (34% below) were well below it. On the year before, burglary rose from 57 to 72 and shoplifting rose from 239 to 280, while vehicle crime fell from 58 to 40 and anti-social behaviour fell from 446 to 316.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,148 | 38.6 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 316 | 10.6 | 15.4 | -29% |
| Shoplifting | 280 | 9.4 | 8.5 | +17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 198 | 6.7 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Other theft | 166 | 5.6 | 6.4 | +6% |
| Public order | 130 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Burglary | 72 | 2.4 | 3.6 | +26% |
| Drugs | 64 | 2.2 | 3.3 | -16% |
| Other crime | 56 | 1.9 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 40 | 1.3 | 5.0 | -31% |
| Possession of weapons | 25 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -19% |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Newton Abbot; the highest is Torquay (144.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Bovey Tracey (34.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Newton Abbot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsteignton | 630 | 48.1 | -43% |
| Bovey Tracey | 201 | 34.9 | -59% |
| Teignmouth | 1,111 | 74.2 | -13% |
| Chudleigh | 211 | 40.2 | -53% |
| Torquay | 7,355 | 144.6 | +70% |
| Paignton | 6,232 | 92.6 | +9% |
| Dawlish | 1,002 | 82.2 | -3% |
| Totnes | 659 | 72.1 | -15% |
Of the 5 areas within Newton Abbot, Bushell had the highest crime rate (182.0 per 1,000) and Bradley the lowest (39.0), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bushell | Neighbourhood | 7,131 | 1,298 | 182.0 |
| College | Neighbourhood | 5,529 | 419 | 75.8 |
| Buckland & Milber | Neighbourhood | 7,190 | 440 | 61.2 |
| Ambrook | Neighbourhood | 4,784 | 215 | 44.9 |
| Bradley | Neighbourhood | 8,433 | 329 | 39.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Newton Abbot over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (128).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 128 |
| On or near East Street | 114 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 106 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 84 |
| On or near Union Street | 79 |
| On or near Highweek Street | 75 |
| On or near Bank Street | 72 |
| On or near Quay Terrace | 66 |
| On or near Hopkins Lane | 51 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 50 |
Of the 2,211 crimes in Newton Abbot with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 316 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 952 | 43.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 504 | 22.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 381 | 17.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 110 | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 79 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 66 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 41 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 34 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Newton Abbot has an estimated population of 29,748 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%), less social housing (13%, against 17%) and fewer households without a car (19%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Newton Abbot average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Newton Abbot | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Newton Abbot a safe place to live?
Newton Abbot recorded 84.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 534th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Newton Abbot?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,148 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (316).
Is crime in Newton Abbot going up or down?
Recorded crime in Newton Abbot was down 4% on the year before: 2,527 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,634 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Newton Abbot?
About 29,748 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Newton Abbot?
Newton Abbot 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.