Dawlish Crime Rate March 2023 | Monthly Statistics

For a town of 11,870 residents, the 52 crimes reported in March 2023 equate to 4.4 incidents per 1,000 people, a figure 42.1% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000. This places Dawlish among the safer built-up areas in England, though the crime profile reflects local patterns. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 48.1% of all crimes, followed by anti-social behaviour (11.5%) and shoplifting (9.6%). These figures align with Dawlish's character as a coastal town with a mix of residential areas, tourist infrastructure, and retail hubs. The seasonal transition to spring likely influenced the crime mix, as longer evenings and the clocks changing may have increased social activity in public spaces. While violent crime rates remain lower than the UK average, the proportion of violence-related incidents (2.1 per 1,000) is still higher than the national average for this category. Anti-social behaviour, meanwhile, is 52% below the UK average, suggesting effective community engagement or environmental factors that deter such activity. Shoplifting rates also sit below the UK average, possibly reflecting the town's smaller retail footprint compared to larger urban centres. However, the data also reveals a small but significant anomaly: bicycle theft in Dawlish is 43% above the UK average, which may point to local cycling infrastructure or transient populations using bicycles for short-term transport. This mix of trends underscores the need for targeted interventions that balance the town's unique social and geographic context with broader crime prevention strategies.

March 2023 saw a striking disparity in crime types compared to the UK average, with several categories falling significantly below national benchmarks. Violence and sexual offences, though the most common crime (48.1% of total), remain 23% below the UK average of 2.7 per 1,000. Anti-social behaviour is even further below the UK rate, at 52% lower, suggesting that local efforts in community policing or environmental design may be effective. Shoplifting, another key category, is 18% below the UK average, possibly linked to Dawlish's smaller retail footprint compared to larger cities. However, one category bucked the trend: bicycle theft in Dawlish is 43% above the UK average of 0.1 per 1,000. This may reflect the town's growing cycling culture, with more residents using bikes for commuting or leisure, increasing opportunities for theft. The data also reveals a notable shift in the crime mix, with property crimes (16 incidents) accounting for just 30.8% of all crimes, compared to 59.2% for violent crimes. This imbalance suggests that local factors—such as the presence of social services, community programs, or demographic characteristics—may be influencing the types of crime that occur. For residents, the most concrete takeaway is the low rate of anti-social behaviour, which could indicate that local initiatives in noise management, public space design, or community engagement are having a measurable impact.

In March 2023, Dawlish's crime rate of 4.4 per 1,000 residents translated to roughly 2 crimes per day across the 31-day period, a figure that highlights the town's relatively low crime exposure compared to larger urban areas. Over the course of the month, 1 reported crime occurred for every 228 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is significantly lower than the UK average. This statistic provides a tangible sense of safety for residents, as it means the likelihood of encountering crime is far below the national norm. When scaled to the town's population of 11,870, the low crime rate suggests that Dawlish's built-up area functions as a relatively secure environment.4 rate still represents a non-zero risk that requires ongoing attention. The daily crime count of 2 per day may seem high to some, but it is important to contextualise this within the town's size and infrastructure. For example, a larger city with a population of 100,000 might see 200 crimes per day, illustrating how scale affects perceived safety. The breakdown also reveals that Dawlish's crime profile is distinct from the UK average, with violent crimes making up a larger share of the total than in many other areas. This may be due to the town's coastal location, which attracts a mix of permanent residents and transient visitors, or its proximity to areas with higher crime rates. Nonetheless, the data shows that Dawlish's residents face a much lower risk of experiencing crime than the average UK citizen, a fact that should be acknowledged in local planning and public communication.