Close to 400 Arson Offences Recorded in Cornwall Over Three Years

Close to 400 arson offences have been recorded across Cornwall in the past three years, yet fewer than 6% have resulted in charges, according to new figures obtained by Legal Expert.

Low Arrest and Charge Rates

Data from Devon & Cornwall Police shows there were 109 cases in 2024, 114 in 2023 and 165 in 2022, totalling 388 offences.
Just 62 arrests were made in that time, meaning only one in eight incidents led to an offender being detained. The charge rate was just 5.7%, slightly above the national average of 5% recorded across 35 UK police forces.

Cornwall’s Arson Hotspots

When broken down into police sub-sections, Truro saw 34 fire-related offences, while St Austell — combining its ‘Urban’ and ‘Rural’ areas — recorded 41. Penzance had 32 cases. Together, these three locations accounted for more than a quarter of Cornwall’s total.

The top 10 policing areas in Cornwall for arson offences were:

• Truro – 34

• Penzance – 32

• Redruth & Illogan – 28

• Falmouth – 27

• Camborne – 24

• St Austell (Urban) – 22

• St Austell (Rural) – 19

• Helston – 18

• Liskeard – 18

• Newquay – 18

Across the Devon and Cornwall force area, 1,412 arson incidents were logged. Of these, 160 were described as being ‘with intent to endanger life’. Police reported one attack that caused serious injuries and 13 considered ‘slight’.

Who Is Committing Arson?

Details provided by the force showed 103 suspects. More than one in five were aged between 10 and 19, and 81% were male.

Compensation Claims Rarely Successful

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government-backed agency that compensates injured victims or families of those killed in violent crimes.
Between 2022 and 2024, 464 arson victims nationwide applied for a payment through the scheme. Only 76 were successful, with just 17 successful claims in 2024. That year, £102,260 was awarded in total, averaging £1,345.53 per claim.
For the 79 claims launched in 2024, only £2,400 has been paid so far. Less than 60% of claims have been resolved, leaving 194 people still waiting for a decision.

Legal Expert’s Advice to Victims

Legal Expert criminal injury specialist Ellie Lamey said:
“It’s incredible that so few people have made a claim when thousands and thousands of arson offences have affected lives around the country. With charge rates also being low, victims might be wondering how to get some form of justice.
Victims who have sustained injuries, whether physical or psychological, due to violent crimes like arson have the right to seek compensation, and they don’t have to wait for someone to be charged or convicted of the offence to do so.
As long as the crime is reported to the police and they cooperate with an investigation, victims can explore their chances of compensation through the CICA.
We’ve helped many people who didn’t realise just how much they could receive by claiming with the support of an expert.”

Legal Expert operates a 24/7 service, providing guidance on criminal injury compensation claims, including CICA applications, through free consultations online and over the phone.