South Hams Crime Rate July 2025 | Monthly Statistics

The crime mix in South Hams during July 2025 reveals a distinct pattern shaped by seasonal and geographic factors. With a crime rate of 4.9 per 1,000 residents, the area remains 43% below the UK average, highlighting a consistently lower incidence of crime compared to national trends. The most prevalent category was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 43% of all reported crimes. This dominance of violent crime over property crime contrasts with the UK average, where property-related offences typically hold a larger share. Anti-social behaviour followed at 14.1%, a figure 55% below the UK average, suggesting a community with relatively low levels of disruptive activity. The seasonal context of July—peak summer, school holidays, and a surge in tourism—likely influences this profile. For example, the high proportion of violence and sexual offences may reflect increased social interactions in public spaces during festivals and events. Conversely, property crimes such as shoplifting and burglary remain low, 54% and 26% below the UK average respectively, possibly due to the area's rural character and limited retail density. This balance of crime types illustrates an area where community safety initiatives, coupled with natural deterrents like lower population density, contribute to a crime profile that diverges from the national norm.

July 2025 saw sharp month-on-month increases in specific crime categories, most possession of weapons, which surged by 400% (from 1 to 5 incidents), and vehicle crime, which tripled (from 2 to 8). These jumps, though small in absolute terms, signal potential shifts in local dynamics, possibly linked to increased summer activity or changes in law enforcement focus. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour decreased by 8.6% (from 70 to 64 incidents), a trend that may reflect seasonal changes in community engagement or effective local interventions. Violence and sexual offences, while still the most common category, remained 31% below the UK average (2.1 vs 3.0 per 1,000), reinforcing South Hams’ position as a relatively safe area. Theft from the person rose 300% (from 1 to 4), a figure that could alert residents to heightened risks in crowded public spaces during festivals. This contrast between rising specific categories and overall stability underscores the complexity of local crime patterns. For instance, the 74% gap between South Hams and the UK average in vehicle crime (0.1 vs 0.4 per 1,000) suggests that while the area is safer in this category, the 300% increase raises questions about whether temporary factors—such as increased car usage during holidays—are at play.

The crime rate in South Hams rose by 30.1% from June 2025 (3.8 to 4.9 per 1,000), though it remains significantly below the UK average. This increase, while notable, is tempered by the broader context of daily and population-scaled crime exposure. With 454 crimes reported over 31 days, the area experienced an average of 15 crimes per day—equivalent to roughly one crime for every 203 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure figure, though seemingly high, is mitigated by the area’s relatively low population (92,148 residents), which spreads the risk across a smaller community compared to densely populated urban centres. The 30.1% rise from the previous month does not necessarily indicate a worsening trend, as the overall rate is still 43% below the UK average. For residents, the 1-in-203 monthly exposure provides a tangible reference point: if every resident were to experience crime equally, one would expect a reported incident approximately every two weeks. This statistic, combined with the area’s consistent underperformance relative to the UK in categories like anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime, suggests a unique combination of geographic and social factors that keep South Hams’ crime profile distinct from the national picture.