Crime in Ottery St Mary: statistics, rates and trends
251 crimes were recorded in Ottery St Mary in the 12 months to August 2026, 41.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ottery St Mary at a glance
- Crime trends in Ottery St Mary
- Types of crime in Ottery St Mary
- Ottery St Mary compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ottery St Mary
- Streets with the most crime in Ottery St Mary
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ottery St Mary
- Demographics of Ottery St Mary
- Questions about crime in Ottery St Mary
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (135), criminal damage and arson (26) and anti-social behaviour (19) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,277th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Ottery St Mary | East Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 251 | 7,455 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 41.0 | 47.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 6,116 | 158,239 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ottery St Mary peaked in the year to August 2018 (401 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (238). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 37%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 251 | 41.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 277 | 45.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 238 | 38.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 279 | 45.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 275 | 45.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 264 | 43.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 286 | 46.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 401 | 65.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 15 |
| July 2026 | 17 |
| June 2026 | 29 |
| May 2026 | 29 |
| April 2026 | 19 |
| March 2026 | 16 |
| February 2026 | 20 |
| January 2026 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 29 |
| November 2025 | 24 |
| October 2025 | 19 |
| September 2025 | 15 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and criminal damage and arson (37% below) and violence and sexual offences (36% below) were well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 135 | 22.1 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 26 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 19 | 3.1 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 15 | 2.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Public order | 13 | 2.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 12 | 2.0 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.6 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 7 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 3 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Ottery St Mary.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ottery St Mary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidmouth | 722 | 49.8 | +21% |
| Honiton | 685 | 56.2 | +37% |
| Cranbrook (East Devon) | 296 | 48.8 | +19% |
| Cullompton | 851 | 69.5 | +69% |
| Seaton (East Devon) | 337 | 43.3 | +6% |
| Exmouth | 2,291 | 63.3 | +54% |
| Exeter | 14,661 | 110.8 | +170% |
| Axminster | 486 | 67.6 | +65% |
Ottery St Mary is the one area listed within Ottery St Mary, with 36.2 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottery St Mary | Neighbourhood | 10,717 | 388 | 36.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Ottery St Mary over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “St Saviours Road” and “Yonder Close” (16 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near St Saviours Road | 16 |
| On or near Yonder Close | 16 |
| On or near Canaan Way | 14 |
| On or near Gold Street | 13 |
| On or near Thackeray Close | 12 |
| On or near Prospect Place | 11 |
| On or near Supermarket | 11 |
| On or near Hospital | 10 |
| On or near Salston Ride | 10 |
| On or near Jesu Street | 9 |
Of the 232 crimes in Ottery St Mary with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 19 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 95 | 40.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 61 | 26.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 31 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 6.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 4 | 1.7% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.7% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Ottery St Mary has an estimated population of 6,116 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%) and an older population (26%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ottery St Mary average decile 6.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ottery St Mary | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Ottery St Mary a safe place to live?
Ottery St Mary recorded 41.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,277th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ottery St Mary?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 135 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (26).
Is crime in Ottery St Mary going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ottery St Mary was down 9% on the year before: 251 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 277 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ottery St Mary?
About 6,116 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ottery St Mary?
Ottery St Mary 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.