Bath Crime Rate

The urban settlement of Bath has an overall crime rate of 112.2 per 1,000 residents, which is higher than the UK average of 91.6. Despite this, the city maintains a respectable safety score of 75/100, placing it just below the national average of 79. Most notably, crime in Bath has decreased by 4.3% year-over-year, indicating a stable and improving trend in recorded offences. As a major tourist and retail destination, Bath faces the typical challenges of a high-footfall urban centre, including significant volumes of shoplifting and public order offences. The following data provides a detailed breakdown of local crime types and time-based patterns to help residents and visitors navigate the city's safety landscape with factual information.

Crime Breakdown in Bath

In the urban settlement of Bath, violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type, accounting for 34.3% of reports (3,707 incidents). Anti-social behaviour is the second most frequent at 14.6%, followed very closely by shoplifting at 14.3%. The high proportion of shoplifting reflects Bath's status as a major retail and tourism hub.

Property crime is a significant issue in the city, with a combined property crime rate of 42.9 per 1,000 residents. This is notably higher than the UK average of 32.2. The area recorded 435 burglaries and 343 vehicle crimes over the year. The high property crime rate, combined with the fact that theft-related offences (including shoplifting and other theft) make up nearly a quarter of all crime, indicates that city properties and businesses are frequently targeted. For homeowners, this means that despite the city's prestigious reputation, property security must be a high priority to protect against opportunistic and planned theft in a high-footfall urban environment.

Crime Trends in Bath

Bath is currently experiencing a stable and positive trend in crime, with a 4.3% decrease in total incidents year-over-year. This reduction is a significant indicator of improving safety within the city and suggests that local safety initiatives and policing strategies are successfully managing the challenges of a major urban destination.

The monthly trend data for 2025 reveals a relatively consistent level of activity throughout the year. The year began with a rate of 10.6 in January, before dipping to 8.5 in February. Crime rates remained stable through the spring and summer, with minor fluctuations around the 9.0 mark. The latter part of the year saw a slight increase, with October recording the year's peak at 10.0 per 1,000 residents, followed by 9.9 in November before dropping to 9.3 in December. This overall downward trajectory and lack of significant monthly spikes suggest that Bath's safety profile is well-managed. For residents and visitors, this stable trend means that the city remains a safe and predictable environment.

How To Keep Safe in Bath

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type in Bath, often concentrated in the city centre during evening hours. To stay safe, residents and visitors should plan their travel carefully, sticking to well-lit, busy roads and avoiding shortcuts through parks or quiet lanes. If walking alone at night, remain alert and avoid using headphones or mobile phones which can distract from your surroundings.

Anti-social behaviour is also significant, making up nearly 15% of all reported crimes. To help improve the city's environment, consider engaging with community safety groups and reporting all incidents to the police. For home safety, ensure that motion-sensor lighting is installed around all entry points to eliminate dark spots and discourage loitering.

Property and vehicle crime, while lower as a percentage of total crime, still occur frequently due to the high overall crime rate. Always double-check that your vehicle is locked and that no bags or electronics are left on display, especially in busy tourist areas. For your home, reinforce all entry points and ensure that all windows and doors are secured with high-quality locks. Given the high rate of shoplifting, business owners should consider advanced surveillance and proactive deterrents to protect their premises. Finally, fostering good relationships with your neighbours is a powerful and simple way to enhance the security of your entire street.

Bath exhibits strong temporal patterns in its crime data. During the morning and afternoon, theft-related offences are prominent, accounting for 53% of reports in both periods, largely linked to the city's extensive retail and tourism activity. As evening falls, the nature of crime shifts toward anti-social behaviour and public order, which make up 49% of all incidents between 6pm and midnight. The night-time hours (12am - 6am) see a rise in property-focused crime, with vehicle crime accounting for 27% of reports and burglary for 25% during this period. These patterns indicate that while social and public order issues are the primary concern during the day and evening, property and vehicle security are most at risk during the overnight hours when the city's streets are at their quietest.

In the local urban context, Bath (112.2) is the primary hub for recorded activity. It has a significantly higher crime rate than nearby residential settlements like Batheaston (35.8) and Bathampton (26.5). Compared to the very quiet villages of Monkton Combe and Bathford, which both recorded 0.0 crimes in this period, Bath is a much more active environment. This regional comparison highlights Bath as the focal point for regional statistics, reflecting its role as a major commercial and administrative centre for the district. Residents of the city should be aware of this higher activity compared to the surrounding rural and suburban areas.

Home Security and Protection in Bath

The property crime rate in Bath is 42.9 per 1,000 residents—notably higher than the UK average of 32.2. In an urban environment with high volumes of shoplifting, theft, and burglary, traditional security methods often prove inadequate. Standard CCTV and smart doorbells are reactive; they notify you while a crime is happening or provide footage for the police after the event. For homeowners in Bath, the goal should be to stop the crime before it occurs.

A proactive AI-powered security system like scOS is designed for this high-activity environment. By monitoring your property boundaries with multi-camera intelligence, scOS can identify suspicious behaviour and verify vehicles in real-time. Unlike basic systems, scOS doesn't just record; it autonomously responds to threats using lighting and audio to deter intruders before they reach your home. This immediate intervention is the most effective way to protect your property in a city where opportunistic crime is frequent. Moving to a proactive operating system ensures that your home is a hard target, encouraging burglars to move on and preserving the security of your property in this historic city.