Westward Ho! Crime Rate October 2025 | Monthly Statistics

The crime mix in Westward Ho! during October 2025 reveals a distinct pattern dominated by violent crime, with violence and sexual offences accounting for 53.9% of all reported incidents. This stark contrast to the UK average, where such crimes make up 2.7 per 1,000 residents (compared to 2.6 in Westward Ho!), highlights a localised concentration of violent activity that may be influenced by the area’s character as a coastal town with a mix of residential and tourist spaces. The high proportion of violent crime relative to property crime (which accounted for just 15.4% of incidents) suggests that factors such as seasonal tourism, Halloween events, or local nightlife dynamics may play a role in shaping this profile. The area’s overall crime rate of 4.9 per 1,000 residents, 36.4% below the UK average, further illustrates that while violent crime is a significant concern, the broader landscape remains relatively safe. This balance is consistent with the area’s built-up nature within Torridge, where the presence of coastal amenities and smaller community structures may contribute to lower property crime rates but higher interpersonal conflicts. Seasonal context also appears relevant: with clocks going back and darker evenings setting in, the increased risk of public order incidents and anti-social behaviour aligns with typical October patterns, though the absence of a significant rise in property crimes suggests that local efforts to manage such issues may be effective.

October 2025 saw a 22.2% decrease in violence and sexual offences, the most common crime category, dropping from 18 to 14 incidents. This decline may partly explain the overall crime rate remaining below the UK average. Conversely, theft from the person surged by 100%, rising from zero to one incident—a figure that is 43% above the UK average for this category. This anomaly could signal a shift in criminal activity patterns, linked to seasonal factors such as Halloween or increased foot traffic in local areas. Anti-social behaviour also doubled, increasing from three to six incidents, while public order offences rose from zero to two. These spikes in low-level crime may indicate a mix of transient and local factors, including the impact of darker evenings following the clocks going back. The area’s violent crime rate (2.6 per 1,000) is 2% below the UK average, suggesting that while overall crime has risen slightly, the proportion of violent incidents remains comparatively low.

Westward Ho!’s crime rate in October 2025 (4.9 per 1,000 residents) marks a 4.0% increase from the previous month’s 4.7 per 1,000, reflecting a slight upward trend in local crime. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 205 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure in a way that highlights the relatively low frequency of incidents compared to larger urban areas. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately one crime per day, a statistic that, while modest, underscores the need for continued vigilance. This daily count is particularly noteworthy in a built-up area with a population of 5,321, where such a low frequency aligns with the broader trend of Westward Ho! consistently maintaining a crime rate significantly below the UK average. The population-scaled perspective further illustrates that, despite the month-on-month increase, the area remains a relatively safe place to live compared to national benchmarks.