These 4 places in Bristol have been named most dangerous in the South West

A new study lists Filton, Keynsham, Weston-super-Mare and Bristol among the region’s crime spots.

The study, carried out by security firm Churchill Support Services, ranked the 25 places in the South West with the most crime rates.

They said: “As the overall cost of living steadily creeps northwards, and a changing world still adjusting in the wake of the pandemic, there’s never been a better time to make yourself aware of the crime rates in your area. That’s especially true as the latest figures emerge, and point towards a spike in the crimes symptomatic of a struggling society.

“There’s few areas where that’s been more evident than in England’s South West.

“While it’s still statistically one of the safest areas to live in the UK, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show a stagnation in that rate, with several key crime types seeing a slight increase over the comparative safety that South West England has historically seen.”

The South West saw a crime rate of 69.4 crimes per 1000 residents, with violent crime (160,891 offences), theft (115,318 offences) and criminal damage (41,964 offences) having the highest figures.

Shoplifting (35,335 incidents) has increased by more than 42% compared to last year as well as robbery (3856 incidents, up by 16%) and weapon possession (3878 incidents, up by 13%).

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However, there are also decreases in some crimes, including bicycle theft (4973 offences, down from 5883), drug offences (9753 incidents, down from 10,502 incidents), public order offences (37,963 incidents, down from 43,857 incidents) and criminal damage (41,964 incidents, down from 43,767 incidents).

Here’s how Bristol fared in the South West’s top 25 most dangerous places, according to Churchill Support Services:

25. Filton

On the outskirts of the sprawling Bristol, and home to a large swathe of the city’s many regular commuters and visitors, Filton’s crime rate of 92.5 crimes per 1000 residents is perhaps a reflection of that close proximity. Violent crime (460 offences), antisocial behaviour (173 offences) and vehicle crimes (116 offences) are all on the rise in the region.

22. Keynsham

A rapidly expanding urbanisation at the fringes of Bristol, Keynsham’s expansion has clearly brought with it some of the wrong kind of attention, with a crime rate that’s steadily climbed to 95.3 crimes per 1000 residents. Looking more closely, there’s several points of concern, including high rates of violent crime (663 offences), antisocial behaviour (389 offences) and criminal damage (167 offences).

8. Weston-super-Mare

One of the region’s most iconic seaside resorts is perhaps a shock to see so high in the rankings of the most dangerous areas of the South West. But with a crime rate of 114.9 crimes per 1000 residents, and steadily increasing figures across violent crime (2880 offences), antisocial behaviour (1212 offences) and shoplifting (838 offences), there’s clearly work to be done in Weston.

6. Bristol

The South West’s most populous area, and a veritable titan of industry and culture, Bristol’s undeniable appeal is often overshadowed by its rising crime rate of 119.6 crimes per 1000 residents. Major issues have stemmed from soaring figures across many of the top policing concerns, including theft (20,231 incidents), violent crime (18,650 incidents), and public order offences (6680 incidents).

The top three was made up of Lydney, Burnham-on-Sea and Bournemouth, with the latter taking the number one spot.