Exmouth Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Exmouth's crime profile in May 2025 reveals a combination of local dynamics and national trends. The overall crime rate of 6.3 per 1,000 residents places the area 22.2% below the UK average of 8.1, a gap that underscores the effectiveness of local policing strategies or community initiatives. Violence and sexual offences dominate the crime mix, accounting for 45.8% of all incidents—2% above the UK average—and likely driven by the area's social hubs and extended evening activity during May. Anti-social behaviour follows at 20.4%, while criminal damage and arson contribute 8.0%, both significantly below the UK average. Seasonal factors may explain some patterns: longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising align with the rise in violence and anti-social behaviour. Conversely, shoplifting and vehicle crime—typically linked to retail environments and commuter parking—remain below national levels, possibly due to Exmouth's coastal character, where tourism and seasonal footfall differ from urban centres. The 22.2% deficit compared to the UK average suggests that Exmouth's crime profile is shaped by its unique mix of residential stability and transient visitor activity, with localised hotspots in areas with higher foot traffic. This context is critical for understanding why certain crime types remain consistently low, while others—like violence—show relative spikes.

May 2025 saw significant spikes in three categories: other crime, shoplifting, and possession of weapons, each doubling from their April figures. This surge in 'other crime'—which includes a range of non-specific offences—may reflect underreporting or changes in police categorisation. Shoplifting increased by 200% to nine incidents, a sharp rise that contrasts with the 55% UK-wide deficit in this category. Possession of weapons also doubled, reaching three incidents, a figure that is 25% above the UK average. Meanwhile, vehicle crime fell by 57.1% to three incidents, likely tied to reduced traffic during bank holidays or seasonal changes in parking patterns. Anti-social behaviour and public order offences remained lower than the UK average, with anti-social behaviour at 20.4% of total crimes and public order offences at 6.7%. These figures suggest a mixed picture, with some categories aligning with national trends while others diverge sharply.

Exmouth's crime rate in May 2025 rose by 19.5% compared to the previous month, moving from 5.3 to 6.3 per 1,000 residents. This increase, while notable, still places the area 22.2% below the UK average of 8.1 per 1,000. On a daily basis, Exmouth recorded roughly seven crimes per day in May, a figure that reflects local patterns rather than national averages. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 158 residents, a monthly exposure rate that contextualises the scale of crime within the town's population of 35,632. This rate is consistent with Exmouth's character as a coastal town with a mix of residential and tourist activity, where crime tends to cluster around social hubs and seasonal events. The population-scaled perspective shows that while the rate is rising, it remains significantly lower than the national average, suggesting that local factors—such as community policing or environmental design—may be contributing to this trend.