Crime in Wells
Recorded crime in Wells is 0.9 times the Somerset average and 0.7 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 4%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 3 km of the centre of Wells: about 14,686 residents in 12 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 6/10Average crime
- Living
- 5.4/10Fair
- 5-year change
- +4%more crimes
- vs the council
- 0.9×the Somerset average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 3 km of the centre of Wells.
Crime over 5 years
Up 4% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 3 km of Wells, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 0.9× the Somerset average (0.7× the England and Wales average). 59 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 65% of the harm here
- Burglary: 13% of the harm here
- Other theft: 6% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 65% 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 Somerset (the whole council area)
April 2025 to March 2026, for the whole Somerset council area, not only Wells. 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 | 691 | 1.2 | Up 34% |
| Cars broken into | 659 | 1.1 | Down 11% |
| Vandalism (homes, other buildings and vehicles) | 1,497 | 2.5 | Down 29% |
| Burglary of homes | 836 | 1.4 | About the same |
| Homicide (murder and manslaughter) | 5 | - | - |
Under 10 a year: no rate or change, the numbers are too small to compare.
How often crimes lead to a charge in BA5
In BA5, the postcode district at the centre of Wells, 5% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%).
- Charged or summonsed
- Caution or other action
- Suspect found, not prosecuted
- No suspect identified
- Still open
Show as a table
| Type | Crimes | Charged or summonsed | Caution or other action | Suspect found, not prosecuted | No suspect identified | Still open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 612 | 5% | 4% | 52% | 3% | 36% |
| Shoplifting | 159 | 3% | 0% | 8% | 3% | 86% |
| Public order | 128 | 5% | 2% | 41% | 6% | 46% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 94 | 5% | 2% | 37% | 6% | 49% |
| Other theft | 73 | 1% | 0% | 18% | 4% | 77% |
| Burglary | 65 | 3% | 2% | 8% | 3% | 85% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 50% of these crimes are still open, so the final figures may be a little higher.
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 | 0.6 |
| Burglary | 3.0 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 23.2 |
| Drugs | 0.9 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.4 |
| Other crime | 1.0 |
| Other theft | 6.0 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 3.0 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 6.6 |
| Public order | 7.5 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.4 |
| Shoplifting | 6.5 |
Postcode districts in Wells
Nearby towns
Council: Somerset
Questions about crime in Wells
- Is Wells a safe place to live?
- Wells scores 6 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 0.9 times the Somerset average.
- Is crime going up or down in Wells?
- Up 4% over 5 years, from 915 recorded crimes a year to 951.
- What is the most common crime in Wells?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 23 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Wells compare with Somerset?
- Crime severity in Wells is 0.9 times the Somerset average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Wells?
- In BA5, the postcode district at the centre of Wells, 5% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 4% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Wells?
- Of 65 burglaries reported in BA5, the postcode district at the centre of Wells between September 2024 and August 2025, 3% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 3% were closed with no suspect identified.
- How many cars are stolen in Wells?
- In Somerset, the council area Wells is in, the police recorded 691 cars stolen in 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 1.2 per 1,000 residents, up 34% on the year before.
- Is vandalism common in Wells?
- 1,497 acts of vandalism to homes, other buildings and vehicles were recorded in 2025/26, in Somerset, the council area Wells is in, 2.5 per 1,000 residents, 0.5 times the England and Wales average.
- How many murders were there in Wells last year?
- 5 homicides (murder or manslaughter) were recorded in 2025/26, in Somerset, the council area Wells is in, against 5 the year before. Police data does not say where in the area they happened.