West Devon Crime Rate November 2025 | Monthly Statistics

In November 2025, West Devon recorded a crime rate of 3.8 per 1,000 residents, placing it 47.9% below the UK average of 7.3 per 1,000. This disparity underscores the area's consistently lower risk profile compared to the national context. The most common crime type was violence and sexual offences, accounting for 43.7% of all incidents, though this category still fell 34% below the UK average. Anti-social behaviour followed at 16.2%, with a 43% deficit against the national rate, while criminal damage and arson made up 13.1% of cases. Seasonal factors, including the transition to darker evenings and the timing of Bonfire Night, likely influenced these patterns. The lower crime rate may reflect the area's rural nature, where community cohesion and limited urban density can reduce opportunities for certain offences. Despite the rise in shoplifting linked to Black Friday activity, the overall picture remains one of relative safety, with violent crime rates significantly below national benchmarks. This suggests that while specific events can drive temporary spikes, the broader environment in West Devon continues to support lower crime levels compared to larger, more densely populated areas.

November saw a sharp 100% increase in shoplifting, with incidents rising from five to ten. This surge is consistent with the timing of Black Friday sales, which often draw large crowds to local retailers. Conversely, violence and sexual offences fell by 32.6%, dropping from 144 to 97 cases. This decrease may partly explain the overall decline in the area's crime rate. Anti-social behaviour, which accounts for 16.2% of all crimes, remains 43% below the UK average, suggesting a broader pattern of lower incidents in this category. Public order offences also rose by 15.4%, though they still lag behind the UK average by 36%. These shifts illustrate how specific events, such as Bonfire Night, can influence crime patterns, even as overall rates remain historically low for the area.

West Devon's crime rate in November 2025 fell by 19.3% compared to the previous month, dropping from 4.7 to 3.8 per 1,000 residents. This decline aligns with the seasonal slowdown in high-traffic periods, such as the end of the Black Friday shopping rush. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately seven crimes per day, a figure that translates to one reported crime for every 265 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure provides a tangible sense of risk: a resident has a 1-in-265 chance of being directly affected by crime in any given month. The population-scaled perspective highlights that, despite the absolute number of crimes, the rate remains significantly lower than the UK average. This consistency in lower rates may reflect the area's rural character, where community networks and lower population density can contribute to reduced opportunities for certain types of crime.