Crime in Cardiff district: statistics, rates and trends
42,811 crimes were recorded in Cardiff district in the 12 months to August 2026, 111.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Cardiff district at a glance
- Crime trends in Cardiff district
- Types of crime in Cardiff district
- Home Office recorded crime in Cardiff district
- Cardiff district compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Cardiff district
- Streets with the most crime in Cardiff district
- What happened after crimes were reported in Cardiff district
- Demographics of Cardiff district
- Questions about crime in Cardiff district
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (13,553), anti-social behaviour (5,104) and shoplifting (5,079) made up 55% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 66th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Cardiff district | Wales | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 42,811 | 306,958 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 111.5 | 96.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 383,919 | 3,186,581 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Cardiff district peaked in the year to August 2018 (49,411 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (42,644). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 42,811 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 42,644 | 111.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 46,787 | 121.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 45,839 | 119.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 43,866 | 114.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 48,863 | 127.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 48,193 | 125.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 49,080 | 127.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 49,411 | 128.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 4,297 |
| July 2026 | 4,512 |
| June 2026 | 3,811 |
| May 2026 | 3,785 |
| April 2026 | 3,578 |
| March 2026 | 3,334 |
| February 2026 | 3,014 |
| January 2026 | 2,994 |
| December 2025 | 3,062 |
| November 2025 | 3,593 |
| October 2025 | 3,592 |
| September 2025 | 3,239 |
Compared with England and Wales, Cardiff district recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.5 times the national rate), public order (81% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (76% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (44% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 396 to 600 and possession of weapons rose from 376 to 464, while burglary fell from 1,531 to 1,273.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 13,553 | 35.3 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 5,104 | 13.3 | 15.4 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 5,079 | 13.2 | 8.5 | -3% |
| Public order | 4,622 | 12.0 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Vehicle crime | 3,358 | 8.7 | 5.0 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 3,171 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Other theft | 2,289 | 6.0 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Burglary | 1,273 | 3.3 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Drugs | 1,262 | 3.3 | 3.3 | -13% |
| Other crime | 871 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Bicycle theft | 802 | 2.1 | 0.8 | -6% |
| Robbery | 600 | 1.6 | 1.4 | +52% |
| Possession of weapons | 464 | 1.2 | 1.0 | +23% |
| Theft from the person | 363 | 0.9 | 1.7 | -10% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
36,006 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in Cardiff district in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 93.8 per 1,000 residents, close to the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was down 6% on the year ending March 2025 (38,263), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 272 districts of England and Wales with a figure for that year, Cardiff district had the 65th highest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 302 districts with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in Cardiff district, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was shoplifting, with 5,075 offences (14% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for bicycle theft (2.6 times the national rate), robbery of business property (2.3 times the national rate) and shoplifting (1.6 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.50 times), robbery of personal property (0.65 times) and arson (0.70 times).
The largest rises on the year were in possession of weapons (+28%) and possession of drugs (+15%). The largest falls were in trafficking of drugs (−31%) and theft from the person (−30%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 5,075 | 13.2 | 8.1 | 1.63 | – |
| Violence without injury | 4,441 | 11.6 | 13.2 | 0.88 | −3% |
| Public order offences | 4,257 | 11.1 | 7.0 | 1.59 | −2% |
| Stalking and harassment | 4,005 | 10.4 | 10.1 | 1.03 | +2% |
| Violence with injury | 2,970 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 0.95 | −11% |
| Criminal damage | 2,957 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 1.13 | −2% |
| Vehicle offences | 2,868 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 1.49 | −16% |
| Other theft offences | 2,333 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 0.93 | −8% |
| Other sexual offences | 928 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.06 | +9% |
| Bicycle theft | 838 | 2.2 | 0.85 | 2.56 | −14% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 824 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.02 | −3% |
| Possession of drugs | 785 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.82 | +15% |
| Residential burglary | 678 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.71 | −27% |
| Non-residential burglary | 635 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.48 | −14% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 455 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.00 | −31% |
| Possession of weapons | 438 | 1.1 | 1.00 | 1.15 | +28% |
| Robbery of business property | 416 | 1.1 | 0.47 | 2.28 | – |
| Rape | 416 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.90 | +1% |
| Theft from the person | 337 | 0.88 | 1.8 | 0.50 | −30% |
| Robbery of personal property | 226 | 0.59 | 0.91 | 0.65 | −18% |
| Arson | 102 | 0.27 | 0.38 | 0.70 | +12% |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 16 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 1.20 | −20% |
| Homicide | 6 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 1.95 | 0% |
Recorded crime in Cardiff district since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. Cardiff district's rate was above the England and Wales rate in every one of those 14 years. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 36,006 | 93.8 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 38,263 | 99.7 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 39,783 | 103.6 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 38,192 | 99.5 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 36,279 | 94.5 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 31,695 | 82.6 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 38,587 | 100.5 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 39,567 | 103.1 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 37,497 | 97.7 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 34,058 | 88.7 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 31,747 | 82.7 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 31,868 | 83.0 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 30,010 | 78.2 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 31,421 | 81.8 | 56.7 |
Districts in the South Wales Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 5 districts in the South Wales Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Cardiff district had the highest rate. Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf are not in the table because the Home Office publishes each of them jointly with a neighbouring district, as one community safety partnership.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 36,006 | 93.8 | 1.13 |
| Swansea | 18,647 | 74.2 | 0.89 |
| Bridgend | 10,342 | 70.1 | 0.84 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 9,636 | 67.3 | 0.81 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 8,258 | 60.8 | 0.73 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
2 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Cardiff district; the highest is Newport (138.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Vale of Glamorgan (73.1).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cardiff district |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vale of Glamorgan | 9,926 | 73.1 | -34% |
| Caerphilly | 18,886 | 106.8 | -4% |
| Newport | 23,166 | 138.0 | +24% |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 20,779 | 85.6 | -23% |
| Torfaen | 11,756 | 124.9 | +12% |
| North Somerset | 19,384 | 86.3 | -23% |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 6,454 | 109.4 | -2% |
| Bridgend | 12,487 | 84.6 | -24% |
Of the 32 areas within Cardiff district, Cathays had the highest crime rate (304.8 per 1,000) and Lisvane and Thornhill the lowest (26.1), 12 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathays | Neighbourhood | 23,927 | 7,292 | 304.8 |
| Butetown | Neighbourhood | 13,550 | 3,093 | 228.3 |
| Adamsdown | Neighbourhood | 13,226 | 2,948 | 222.9 |
| Riverside | Neighbourhood | 14,246 | 2,505 | 175.8 |
| Caerau | Neighbourhood | 12,009 | 1,700 | 141.6 |
| Ely | Neighbourhood | 15,874 | 1,886 | 118.8 |
| Splott | Neighbourhood | 14,856 | 1,758 | 118.3 |
| Tongwynlais | Town | 1,916 | 225 | 117.4 |
| Plasnewydd | Neighbourhood | 20,068 | 2,347 | 117.0 |
| Llanrumney | Neighbourhood | 11,814 | 1,370 | 116.0 |
| Cardiff | Town | 362,751 | 41,320 | 113.9 |
| Grangetown | Neighbourhood | 22,261 | 2,331 | 104.7 |
| Trowbridge | Neighbourhood | 18,079 | 1,876 | 103.8 |
| Llandaff North | Neighbourhood | 8,668 | 858 | 99.0 |
| Gabalfa | Neighbourhood | 10,024 | 951 | 94.9 |
| Fairwater | Neighbourhood | 13,965 | 1,316 | 94.2 |
| Canton | Neighbourhood | 16,843 | 1,499 | 89.0 |
| Penylan | Neighbourhood | 13,394 | 1,152 | 86.0 |
| Llanishen | Neighbourhood | 10,693 | 906 | 84.7 |
| Pentwyn | Neighbourhood | 15,483 | 1,153 | 74.5 |
| Whitchurch and Tongwynlais | Neighbourhood | 16,187 | 1,170 | 72.3 |
| Heath | Neighbourhood | 13,032 | 907 | 69.6 |
| Rumney | Neighbourhood | 9,378 | 638 | 68.0 |
| Pontprennau and Old St Mellons | Neighbourhood | 12,638 | 774 | 61.2 |
| Creigiau | Town | 3,278 | 187 | 57.0 |
| Llandaff | Neighbourhood | 9,083 | 468 | 51.5 |
| Pentyrch and St Fagans | Neighbourhood | 10,407 | 515 | 49.5 |
| Cyncoed | Neighbourhood | 13,445 | 531 | 39.5 |
| Pentyrch | Town | 2,340 | 88 | 37.6 |
| Rhiwbina | Neighbourhood | 11,724 | 356 | 30.4 |
| Radyr | Neighbourhood | 7,548 | 211 | 28.0 |
| Lisvane and Thornhill | Neighbourhood | 11,497 | 300 | 26.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 19% of the crime recorded in Cardiff district over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,964).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,964 |
| On or near Supermarket | 1,646 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 928 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 770 |
| On or near Nightclub | 589 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 513 |
| On or near Heol Eglwys Fair | 478 |
| On or near Police Station | 408 |
| On or near Hospital | 397 |
| On or near Heol Y Tollty | 326 |
Of the 37,707 crimes in Cardiff district with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 5,104 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 14,088 | 37.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 11,117 | 29.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 5,874 | 15.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,713 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,485 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,255 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 491 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 344 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 142 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 98 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 85 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 14 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Cardiff district has an estimated population of 383,919 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (16.5%, against 7.9%), a younger population (15%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (17%, against 22%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cardiff district average decile 5.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Cardiff district | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 16.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.7 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 16.7% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Cardiff district a safe place to live?
Cardiff district recorded 111.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 66th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and public order.
What is the most common crime in Cardiff district?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 13,553 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (5,104).
Is crime in Cardiff district going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cardiff district was almost unchanged on the year before: 42,811 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 42,644 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cardiff district?
About 383,919 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cardiff district?
Cardiff district is policed by South Wales.
How many crimes did the police record in Cardiff district in the year ending March 2026?
36,006 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 93.8 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 38,263.
Which offences are more common in Cardiff district than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were bicycle theft (838 offences, 2.6 times the England and Wales rate), robbery of business property (416 offences, 2.3 times the England and Wales rate) and shoplifting (5,075 offences, 1.6 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.