Crime in Shepton Mallet: statistics, rates and trends
949 crimes were recorded in Shepton Mallet in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shepton Mallet at a glance
- Crime trends in Shepton Mallet
- Types of crime in Shepton Mallet
- Shepton Mallet compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Shepton Mallet
- Streets with the most crime in Shepton Mallet
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shepton Mallet
- Demographics of Shepton Mallet
- Questions about crime in Shepton Mallet
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (457), anti-social behaviour (124) and public order (84) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 473rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Shepton Mallet | Somerset | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 949 | 53,421 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.8 | 90.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +6% | -1% |
| Population | 10,568 | 588,328 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Shepton Mallet of any year here (949 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 949 | 89.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 919 | 87.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 875 | 82.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 669 | 63.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 780 | 73.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 696 | 65.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 849 | 80.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 919 | 87.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 821 | 77.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 60 |
| July 2026 | 85 |
| June 2026 | 78 |
| May 2026 | 85 |
| April 2026 | 89 |
| March 2026 | 91 |
| February 2026 | 58 |
| January 2026 | 83 |
| December 2025 | 72 |
| November 2025 | 76 |
| October 2025 | 90 |
| September 2025 | 82 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shepton Mallet recorded notably more violence and sexual offences (26% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (49% below) and other theft (37% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 20 to 27 and burglary rose from 20 to 25.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 457 | 43.2 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 124 | 11.7 | 15.4 | +9% |
| Public order | 84 | 7.9 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 64 | 6.1 | 8.5 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 6.0 | 6.7 | +21% |
| Other theft | 43 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 2.6 | 5.0 | +35% |
| Burglary | 25 | 2.4 | 3.6 | +25% |
| Drugs | 22 | 2.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 14 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Shepton Mallet; the highest is Glastonbury (164.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Peasedown St John (39.8).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shepton Mallet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells | 988 | 87.6 | -2% |
| Midsomer Norton | 959 | 67.5 | -25% |
| Glastonbury | 1,502 | 164.3 | +83% |
| Radstock | 912 | 82.4 | -8% |
| Paulton | 421 | 64.3 | -28% |
| Street | 859 | 66.6 | -26% |
| Peasedown St John | 201 | 39.8 | -56% |
| Frome | 2,887 | 99.5 | +11% |
Shepton Mallet is the one area listed within Shepton Mallet, with 89.8 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shepton Mallet | Neighbourhood | 10,568 | 949 | 89.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Shepton Mallet over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (83).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 83 |
| On or near High Street | 51 |
| On or near Parking Area | 44 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 35 |
| On or near Cowl Street | 29 |
| On or near Church Lane | 26 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 24 |
| On or near Hillmead | 22 |
| On or near Misburg Close | 22 |
| On or near Meadow Rise | 20 |
Of the 825 crimes in Shepton Mallet with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 124 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 454 | 55.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 207 | 25.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 6.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 47 | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 2.3% | 0.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.2% | 3.1% |
Shepton Mallet has an estimated population of 10,568 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (27%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shepton Mallet average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Shepton Mallet | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shepton Mallet a safe place to live?
Shepton Mallet recorded 89.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 473rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Shepton Mallet?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 457 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (124).
Is crime in Shepton Mallet going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shepton Mallet was up 3% on the year before: 949 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 919 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shepton Mallet?
About 10,568 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shepton Mallet?
Shepton Mallet is policed by Avon and Somerset.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.