Rural Plymouth Crime Rate

Rural Plymouth is an exceptionally safe area with an overall crime rate of 51.0 per 1,000 people for the year 2025. This is significantly lower than the UK national average of 91.6, earning the area a high safety score of 87/100. The crime trend is also moving in a positive direction, with a 14.5% decrease year-over-year. Property crime is particularly low at just 11.5 per 1,000, which is nearly a third of the national average. This suggests that residents of Rural Plymouth enjoy a high level of security for both themselves and their property. This analysis explores the specific crime types, timing, and safety recommendations for this tranquil part of Devon.

In Rural Plymouth, the crime landscape is primarily defined by violence and sexual offences, which account for 46.5% of all recorded incidents (23.7 per 1,000 residents). Anti-social behaviour is the second most common category at 21.1%, followed by criminal damage and arson at 9.9%. These three types make up over three-quarters of the total crime in the area.

Property-related crime in Rural Plymouth is exceptionally low, with a combined rate of just 11.5 per 1,000 people. This is nearly a third of the UK national average of 32.2. Within this category, vehicle crime and other theft each account for 5.6% of the total, while burglary is notably rare, representing only 1.4% of total crime (0.7 per 1,000). For residents, this indicates a very secure environment for homes and property. While personal safety remains the primary focus of the statistics, the risk of acquisitive crime like burglary is minimal. However, the presence of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour suggests that even in rural settings, maintaining a secure property perimeter is a sensible precaution.

The crime trend in Rural Plymouth is very positive, with a 14.5% decrease in total offences recorded over the 2025 calendar year. Monthly data shows that the crime rate per 1,000 residents remained low throughout the year, fluctuating between 1.4 and 7.9. The highest rate was recorded in March (7.9), followed by May (7.2), while the lowest rates were seen in February and August (1.4).

This downward trend suggests that Rural Plymouth is becoming an even safer place to live. The low and stable crime rates throughout the year, with only minor fluctuations, indicate a very secure local environment. For residents, this is an encouraging sign that local safety initiatives and policing are effectively maintaining the area's quiet and safe character. Overall, Rural Plymouth remains one of the most secure locations in the Devon region.

How To Keep Safe in Rural Plymouth

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crimes in Rural Plymouth, accounting for nearly 47% of all recorded incidents. While the overall numbers are low, maintaining personal safety and community awareness is still important.

To stay safe in Rural Plymouth, consider these localized tips:

• Be aware of your surroundings when walking in more isolated rural areas, especially after dark, and try to stick to well-lit routes where possible.
• Given that vehicle crime is one of the more common property offences, always ensure your car is locked and that no valuables are left inside, even when parked on your own property.
• Install motion-activated lighting around the exterior of your home to eliminate dark spots and deter anti-social behaviour.
• Report any suspicious activity or anti-social behaviour to the local police via 101 to help them build an accurate picture of local issues.
• Join a local rural watch or neighbourhood watch scheme to stay connected with your neighbours and share information about safety in the area.

Crime in Rural Plymouth follows distinct temporal patterns, with different types of offences peaking at different times of the day. Theft-related crimes are most common during the daytime, accounting for 53% of afternoon activity and 43% of morning reports. This likely reflects opportunistic theft in rural commercial areas or from vehicles parked during the day.

In contrast, vehicle crime shows a significant peak during the night-time hours (12am to 6am), where it makes up 54% of all night-time offences. This suggests that vehicles are being targeted under the cover of darkness. Evening hours (6pm to 12am) see a high concentration of "Other" offences, including anti-social behaviour and public order issues, which make up 48% of evening activity. Burglary remains low across all periods, with a slight relative peak in the afternoon (10%). These patterns highlight the need for 24-hour vigilance, with a focus on vehicle security at night and general property awareness during the afternoon.

Rural Plymouth stands in stark contrast to the nearby urban centre of Plymouth, which has a much higher crime rate of 109.8 per 1,000. While the city provides major amenities, Rural Plymouth offers a significantly more secure and peaceful environment, typical of the Devon countryside. This disparity is common in the region, where rural settlements often record crime rates that are less than half of their urban counterparts. For those prioritising safety and a low-crime environment, Rural Plymouth is one of the most secure choices in the immediate area.

Despite the very low property crime rate of 11.5 per 1,000, residents of Rural Plymouth should not be complacent about home security. In rural settings, properties are often more isolated, which can make them targets for opportunistic thieves who rely on the lack of witnesses. Traditional security systems like basic CCTV are reactive, only providing footage after a crime has been committed.

scOS offers a proactive solution that is ideal for rural properties. Using AI-powered multi-camera intelligence, scOS monitors your property's perimeter in real-time. It can distinguish between local wildlife and a potential intruder, only alerting you to genuine threats. If an intruder is detected, scOS can autonomously trigger deterrents like lighting and audio warnings, destroying the element of surprise. For Rural Plymouth homeowners, this means moving from just recording a crime to actively preventing it. The visible deterrence of a professional-grade AI system like scOS is a powerful way to ensure your home remains as safe as the local statistics suggest.