Total Crime Rate

386.4 per 1,000 10/10 · Very High

All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026

Violent Crime Rate

50.0 per 1,000 8/10 · High

May 2025 - Apr 2026
Latest update: 06.06.2026 Crime figures are sourced from data.police.uk and are typically published with a 3-month delay.
Crime rate per 1000 residents
  • All crimes 386.4 10/10
  • Shoplifting 279.6 10/10
  • Violent crimes 50.0 8/10
  • Violence and sexual offences 43.2 8/10
  • Anti-social behaviour 20.5 8/10
  • Other theft 15.9 9/10
  • Criminal damage and arson 11.4 7/10
  • Public order 6.8 6/10
  • Bicycle theft 2.3 1/10
  • Burglary 2.3 1/10
  • Drugs 2.3 1/10
  • Other crime 2.3 1/10
  • Possession of weapons 0.0 1/10
  • Robbery 0.0 1/10
  • Theft from the person 0.0 1/10
  • Vehicle crime 0.0 1/10
Values shown per 1,000 residents · May 2025 - Apr 2026 · Rating compares this oa to UK peers of the same type.
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Crime overview

Merlin Way area has the 3rd highest crime rate of 76 local areas in Barton with Watcombe , and the 25th highest crime rate of 468 local areas in Torbay .

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 Merlin Way (TQ2 7TE) in the last 12 months was 386.4 per 1,000 residents and was 304.1% higher than the Barton with Watcombe average (95.6 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, this area’s most reported crimes were Shoplifting with 123 offences recorded. The least common crime was Bicycle theft with 1 case , unchanged from 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Drugs ( 100.0% YoY). The sharpest decline was Violence and sexual offences ( -13.6% YoY).

Violent crimes totalled 22 (≈ 50.0 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were falling ( -12.0% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -17.4% comparing early vs recent averages) .

In the area around Merlin Way (TQ2 7TE), the highest concentration of overall crime is near Shopping Area, where police recorded 51 incidents. Violent and public-order offences occur most often near Nicholson Road (9 offences). Both locations lie within roughly 0.3 miles of this postcode area.

View Crime In Barton with Watcombe

Crime Over Time in Merlin Way area

Showing crimes within 0.3 miles (20/20)
Month:
MonthCrimeLocation*Last Outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Petrol Station Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Petrol Station Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Petrol Station Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Petrol Station Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Other theft Nicholson Road Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Other theft Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Shoplifting Shopping Area Under investigation
* on or near this location Page 1 • Showing 20 of 20

Data Sources

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.

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