Total Crime Rate
140.0 per 1,000
All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026Violent Crime Rate
91.4 per 1,000
May 2025 - Apr 2026John Smale Road area has the 9th highest crime rate of 40 local areas in Barnstaple Central , and the 32nd highest crime rate of 315 local areas in North Devon .
This postcode sits in a local crime hotspot. Overall crime levels here are significantly higher than in the surrounding streets and the wider area.
The overall crime rate in the area around John Smale Road (EX31 2HR) in the last 12 months was 140.0 per 1,000 residents and was 66.6% lower than the Barnstaple Central average (419.7 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, this area’s most reported crimes were Violence and sexual offences with 25 offences recorded. The least common crime was Bicycle theft with 1 case , unchanged from 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Possession of weapons ( 100.0% YoY). The sharpest decline was Drugs ( -83.3% YoY).
Violent crimes totalled 32 (≈ 91.4 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were rising ( 39.1% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -33.3% comparing early vs recent averages) .
In the area around John Smale Road (EX31 2HR), the main crime hotspot is near Woodville. Police recorded 22 crimes here, including 12 violent or public-order offences. All these locations are within roughly 0.3 miles.
View Crime In Bickington| Month | Crime | Location* | Last Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | Other theft | Old Court | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Apr 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | John Smale Road | Under investigation |
| Apr 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | John Smale Road | Under investigation |
| Apr 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | Linden Gardens | Unable to prosecute suspect |
StreetScan crime figures are based on official UK open data:
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.