Holsworthy Crime Rate

Holsworthy is a safe market town with an overall crime rate of 63.3 per 1,000 residents, which is considerably lower than the UK average of 93.1. This secure standing is reflected in its safety score of 84/100, notably higher than the national average of 78. While the town is safe, there has been an increasing trend in crime, with a 20.4% rise year-over-year. This data provides a comprehensive overview of the local safety landscape, showing that while Holsworthy remains a secure place to live and work, recent shifts in crime patterns suggest that residents should remain mindful of local security and community safety initiatives.

In Holsworthy, violence and sexual offences are the most frequent crime type, representing 48.2% of all incidents, or 30.5 crimes per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common at 14.0%, followed by public order and criminal damage, both at 7.5%. Property crime overall—which includes burglary, shoplifting, and various thefts—occurs at a rate of 15.1 per 1,000 people. Other theft (6.2%) and shoplifting (5.5%) are the main drivers of property-related crime, while burglary accounts for 4.2% of the town's total. Although the vehicle crime rate is exceptionally low (0.3%), the overall property crime figures suggest that homeowners and business owners should stay alert to opportunistic theft and property damage.

The crime trend in Holsworthy is currently on an upward trajectory, with a 20.4% increase over the last 12 months. Analysis of monthly data shows that the crime rate per 1,000 residents reached its highest point in June 2025 at 7.2, followed by March at 7.0. The lowest crime levels were observed in September 2025, with a rate of 3.3. While the overall crime rate remains well below the national average, the increasing trend suggests that residents should remain vigilant and consider enhancing their home security to protect against the rising frequency of local incidents.

How To Keep Safe in Holsworthy

The most frequent crime type in Holsworthy is violence and sexual offences. While the town is generally safe, it is important to take sensible precautions to ensure your personal security:

1. When walking at night, stick to well-lit main streets and avoid unlit or isolated areas, particularly around the town's outskirts.
2. Be aware of your surroundings in the town centre during the evening, and if possible, travel with friends or family.
3. Keep your personal belongings secure and out of sight in public places to prevent opportunistic theft or pickpocketing.
4. If you witness any suspicious activity or anti-social behaviour, report it to the local police to help them maintain the town's safety.
5. For business owners in the town centre, ensure your premises have clear sightlines and robust security to deter theft and anti-social behaviour.

Crime in Holsworthy shows a distinct temporal pattern throughout the day. Morning and afternoon periods are dominated by theft, accounting for 55% and 54% of incidents respectively, which aligns with daytime commercial activity. As the day transitions into the evening and night, the crime profile shifts significantly. While overall volume may be lower, burglary becomes much more prevalent, reaching 26% in the evening and peaking at 38% during the night-time hours (12am - 6am). This suggests that while daytime is prone to opportunistic theft, the late-night hours carry a substantially higher relative risk for property-targeted offences like burglary.

In the local context of Torridge, Holsworthy serves as a central hub for many smaller surrounding villages. When compared to Chilsworthy, Bradworthy, Halwill Junction, and Kilkhampton—all of which report crime rates of 0.0 due to their very small populations—Holsworthy's rate of 63.3 is naturally higher. However, it remains a safe and secure town that offers more amenities and infrastructure than its smaller neighbours while maintaining a safety profile that is significantly better than the national average for urban areas.

Holsworthy's property crime rate of 15.1 per 1,000 residents highlights a low but persistent risk, particularly with burglary accounting for 4.2% of all incidents. In an area where crime has increased by 20.4%, traditional security systems are often insufficient. Standard CCTV cameras merely record a crime as it happens, providing footage after the damage is done. To truly protect your home, proactive security like scOS is necessary. scOS uses advanced AI to monitor your property boundaries in real-time, detecting threats before they become incidents. By identifying unauthorised presence and triggering autonomous responses like activating lights or warnings, scOS destroys the element of surprise that burglars rely on. In a town like Holsworthy, where burglary peaks at night, a system that prevents intrusions before they escalate is the most effective way to ensure the safety of your home and family.