Car theft and vehicle crime in Plymouth
Police recorded 352 vehicle crimes within about a mile of Plymouth between October 2025 and September 2026. The last three months (111) ran 56% above the three before (71), so the recent direction is up.
Plymouth month by month
The busiest month was August 2026 with 49 offences; the quietest was June 2026 with 19. Offences rose 7% from the first half of the period to the second. Average: 29.3 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 20 | -9 |
| Nov 2025 | 21 | -8 |
| Dec 2025 | 25 | -4 |
| Jan 2026 | 39 | +10 |
| Feb 2026 | 39 | +10 |
| Mar 2026 | 26 | -3 |
| Apr 2026 | 25 | -4 |
| May 2026 | 27 | -2 |
| Jun 2026 | 19 | -10 |
| Jul 2026 | 19 | -10 |
| Aug 2026 | 49 | +20 |
| Sep 2026 | 43 | +14 |
How Plymouth compares
Ranked against 83 other towns, Plymouth comes 34. Its 29 offences a month are close to the typical town in our set, next to 116 for Cardiff.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around Plymouth averaged 37 vehicle offences a month. Central Plymouth lands in the busiest 10% of our national postcode sample. For context we counted the same one-mile radius around 400 random postcodes nationwide (Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026). Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
Within the Devon and Cornwall Police area, Plymouth ranks 1 of the 2 centres we track at 29 offences a month. The others: Exeter (12).
Towns nearest to Plymouth
- Exeter (36 miles away): 12 a month, 58% fewer than Plymouth
- Swansea (87 miles away): 26 a month, 10% fewer than Plymouth
- Cardiff (87 miles away): 116 a month, 294% more than Plymouth
Where in Plymouth offences were recorded
Just five locations make up 12% of the 352 offences recorded around Plymouth.
- On or near Parking Area: 19
- On or near Evelyn Place: 8
- On or near Supermarket: 6
- On or near Union Street: 6
- On or near Connaught Avenue: 5
What happened to Plymouth cases
The most common recorded outcome near Plymouth was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (202 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 202 | 57% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 54 | 15% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 14% |
| Status update unavailable | 17 | 5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 3% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 3% |
What this means if you park near Plymouth
At about 29 offences a month, Plymouth is quieter than a big-city centre, but one theft still costs the full value of the vehicle. Numbers have climbed recently, so review how your vehicle is protected before the next August.
Most owners near Plymouth start with an immobiliser for prevention, then add monitored tracking if the insurer asks for it. See installation options.
Plymouth car theft questions
How much car crime is there in Plymouth?
In the year to September 2026, 352 vehicle crimes were logged inside a mile of central Plymouth: about 29 every month, placing it 34 of the 84 towns we track (in the middle end).
When was vehicle crime worst in Plymouth?
Plymouth peaked in August 2026 at 49 recorded offences and bottomed out at 19 in June 2026; 43 were logged in September 2026.
Are car thieves caught in Plymouth?
Rarely. 57% of the Plymouth cases (202 of 352) ended with no suspect identified, while 24 showed a court or charge outcome. Stopping the theft, or recovering the car fast, is the realistic defence.
Does this cover stolen cars only in Plymouth?
No. Police.uk counts theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle and vehicle interference together as vehicle crime, so the 352 figure for Plymouth is wider than stolen cars alone.
Source: police.uk, centred on 50.3755, -4.1427, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.