Crime in Salcombe
Recorded crime in Salcombe is 1.2 times the South Hams average and 0.5 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 22%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Salcombe: about 1,745 residents in 3 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 8/10Low crime
- Living
- 3.4/10Weak
- 5-year change
- +22%more crimes
- vs the council
- 1.2×the South Hams average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Salcombe.
Crime over 5 years
Up 22% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Salcombe, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.2× the South Hams average (0.5× the England and Wales average). 38 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 62% of the harm here
- Burglary: 19% of the harm here
- Other theft: 9% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 62% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 13 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crimes recorded in South Hams (the whole partnership area)
April 2025 to March 2026, for the whole South Hams partnership area, not only Salcombe. Figures for the South Devon and Dartmoor community safety partnership, which covers South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon. Source: Home Office, police recorded crime by community safety partnership.
| Type | Crimes in 2025/26 | Per 1,000 residents | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cars stolen | 159 | 0.55 | Down 9% |
| Cars broken into | 166 | 0.57 | Down 11% |
| Vandalism (homes, other buildings and vehicles) | 704 | 2.4 | Down 22% |
| Burglary of homes | 250 | 0.86 | Down 5% |
| Homicide (murder and manslaughter) | 1 | - | - |
Under 10 a year: no rate or change, the numbers are too small to compare.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.0 |
| Burglary | 2.9 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 15.2 |
| Drugs | 1.1 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.4 |
| Other crime | 0.8 |
| Other theft | 6.6 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.0 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 1.7 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 5.3 |
| Public order | 2.8 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.1 |
| Shoplifting | 1.0 |
Postcode districts in Salcombe
Nearby towns
Council: South Hams
Questions about crime in Salcombe
- Is Salcombe a safe place to live?
- Salcombe scores 8 out of 10 for safety (low crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.2 times the South Hams average.
- Is crime going up or down in Salcombe?
- Up 22% over 5 years, from 63 recorded crimes a year to 77.
- What is the most common crime in Salcombe?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 15 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Salcombe compare with South Hams?
- Crime severity in Salcombe is 1.2 times the South Hams average.
- How many cars are stolen in Salcombe?
- In 2025/26, in the South Devon and Dartmoor partnership area, which includes Salcombe, the police recorded 159 cars stolen (April 2025 to March 2026), 0.5 per 1,000 residents, down 9% on the year before.
- Is vandalism common in Salcombe?
- 704 acts of vandalism to homes, other buildings and vehicles were recorded in 2025/26, in the South Devon and Dartmoor partnership area, which includes Salcombe, 2.4 per 1,000 residents, 0.5 times the England and Wales average.
- How many murders were there in Salcombe last year?
- 1 homicide (murder or manslaughter) was recorded in 2025/26, in the South Devon and Dartmoor partnership area, which includes Salcombe, against 0 the year before. Police data does not say where in the area they happened.