It is a more serious offence than simple theft
The fountains within ‘The Centre’ are opposite the Hippodrome and acts as a local landmark(Image: Bristol City Council)
Scores of robberies were recorded in a single Bristol area last year – making it the area with the highest rate of such crime in the South West.
Last year, Avon and Somerset Constabulary recorded 2,510 crimes of robbery. That is any crime where an offender uses force or the threat of force to steal.
It can include mugging (where someone is attacked and robbed on the street), robbery by intimidation (making someone think violence or force will be used to steal from them), carjacking (using force to steal a vehicle), an armed robbery or a bank robbery.
It is a more serious offence than simple theft and can leave victims suffering psychological harm, even triggering long-term mental health issues such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
As with most crime types, robberies are more likely to take place in busy town and city centres than in residential neighbourhoods. Last year, 143 robberies were recorded in Bristol’s City Centre & Harbourside neighbourhood, more than anywhere else in the South West region.
That’s the equivalent of one robbery every 61 hours, or three days. Another 82 robberies were recorded in Bristol’s Temple Meads district, and 78 in Kingsdown.
Outside the city, Weston Town had the highest number of robberies in North Somerset (52), and Filton had more than any other neighbourhood in South Gloucestershire (16).
You can see how it compares near you using our interactive map.
Neighbourhood Inspector Adam Dolling said: “Bristol is the largest city in the South West so it is to be expected the number of crime reports reflects that fact.
“Thousands of people work, live and visit the centre of Bristol every single day and it’s important these figures – which show that on average there were approximately two-and-a-half robberies a week in that part of Bristol – are placed in that context.
“The number of recorded robberies in and around the Bristol Harbourside area was lower in 2024 compared with the previous 12 months.
“Although the number of incidents has reduced, we will not be complacent. Regular uniformed patrols take place day and night across the city to help prevent crime.
“Every weekend we run a specific policing operation to coincide with peak night-time economy hours too.
“We recognise the impact of robberies on victims can be hugely significant and would like to reassure the public that investigative enquiries will take place to seek to identify the offender and secure a criminal conviction when such incidents occur.”
Figures are available for every one of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods in England and Wales apart from areas covered by Greater Manchester Police, as the force has not supplied crime data for last year.
Crime figures are available for neighbourhoods with between 7,000 and 10,000 residents, which the government designates as Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs).