Ottery St Mary Crime Rate September 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Ottery St Mary's overall crime rate for September 2025 stood at 2.5 crimes per 1,000 residents, marking a significant 66.2% reduction compared to the UK average of 7.4 per 1,000. This stark contrast underscores the area's markedly lower exposure to crime relative to national trends. The most prevalent crime type was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 60% of all reported incidents (9 cases), followed by anti-social behaviour (13.3%, 2 cases) and drugs-related offences (6.7%, 1 case). These figures align with the town's character as a small, built-up area within East Devon, where community cohesion and low population density may contribute to reduced opportunities for crime. Seasonal context suggests that September, with its transition to autumn and the start of the academic year, may have influenced patterns. The relatively low rate of property crimes (3 cases, 20% of total) contrasts with the higher incidence of violent crime, a trend consistent with the area's limited retail and nightlife presence compared to larger urban centres. The UK average for violence and sexual offences (2.6 per 1,000) was 42% higher than Ottery St Mary's rate, further highlighting the town's safer profile. This data suggests that local factors, such as strong community policing and limited commercial activity, may play a role in sustaining lower crime rates. The seasonal shift in September, with shorter evenings and the return of students to educational institutions, may have temporarily altered crime dynamics, though the overall downward trend in violent crime indicates broader structural factors at work.

September 2025 saw a notable 30.8% decrease in violence and sexual offences, dropping from 13 cases in August to 9. This reduction may be linked to the seasonal transition, as shorter evenings and the start of the academic year could have reduced opportunities for such crimes. Conversely, vehicle crime increased by 100%, rising from 0 to 1 case, a shift that could reflect changes in local traffic patterns or seasonal travel. The crime mix also shifted significantly, with violent crimes accounting for 60% of all incidents compared to 42% in the UK average, while property crimes remained low. This contrast highlights Ottery St Mary's unique profile, where violent crime rates are 42% below the UK average despite the higher proportion of such incidents locally. Anti-social behaviour, at 0.3 per 1,000, was 74% below the UK average of 1.2 per 1,000, suggesting that community engagement initiatives may be effective in addressing low-level disorder. Residents may find the 6.7% reduction in drugs-related offences (from 0.3 to 0.2 per 1,000) particularly reassuring, indicating continued efforts to curb illicit activity in the area. These trends, while preliminary, offer insights into how local conditions and seasonal factors interact to shape crime patterns.

Ottery St Mary's crime rate in September 2025 (2.5 per 1,000) represents a 34.7% decrease from the previous month's rate of 3.8 per 1,000, reflecting a consistent downward trend in local crime. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 0 crimes per day over the 30-day period, a figure that underscores the rarity of incidents in this built-up area. When scaled to the population of 6,077 residents, the monthly exposure to crime was 1 in 405 residents, a statistic that places Ottery St Mary well below the UK average in terms of individual risk. This low frequency is particularly striking when compared to the UK's overall rate of 7.4 per 1,000, highlighting the area's exceptional safety record. The monthly exposure figure also provides a tangible context for residents: over the course of September, a single resident had a 1-in-405 chance of being directly affected by a reported crime, a probability that is significantly lower than the national average. This data suggests that Ottery St Mary's small population and community-oriented environment may contribute to its lower crime rates, though the precise mechanisms remain to be explored. The contrast with the UK average is especially pronounced in categories like anti-social behaviour, where the local rate was 74% below the national figure, indicating that local factors may be effectively mitigating certain types of disorder. These comparative metrics reinforce the area's status as a relatively safe place to live, even as the small but notable increase in vehicle crime serves as a reminder that no location is entirely free from risk.