Crime in Canton: statistics, rates and trends
1,499 crimes were recorded in Canton in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (458), vehicle crime (228) and public order (172) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,527th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Canton | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,499 | 42,811 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.0 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 16,843 | 383,919 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Canton peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,713 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,409). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,499 | 89.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,409 | 83.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,604 | 95.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,492 | 88.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,470 | 87.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,705 | 101.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,701 | 101.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,702 | 101.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,713 | 101.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 137 |
| July 2026 | 139 |
| June 2026 | 150 |
| May 2026 | 128 |
| April 2026 | 141 |
| March 2026 | 86 |
| February 2026 | 113 |
| January 2026 | 110 |
| December 2025 | 104 |
| November 2025 | 133 |
| October 2025 | 127 |
| September 2025 | 131 |
Compared with England and Wales, Canton recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.7 times the national rate), bicycle theft (94% above the national rate) and public order (53% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (61% below) and drugs (53% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 147 to 228 and public order rose from 133 to 172, while anti-social behaviour fell from 142 to 102 and other crime fell from 31 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 458 | 27.2 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Vehicle crime | 228 | 13.5 | 5.0 | +55% |
| Public order | 172 | 10.2 | 6.7 | +29% |
| Shoplifting | 154 | 9.1 | 8.5 | +25% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 119 | 7.1 | 6.7 | +23% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 102 | 6.1 | 15.4 | -28% |
| Burglary | 75 | 4.5 | 3.6 | -18% |
| Other theft | 65 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -18% |
| Bicycle theft | 27 | 1.6 | 0.8 | +23% |
| Robbery | 27 | 1.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Drugs | 26 | 1.5 | 3.3 | -13% |
| Other crime | 24 | 1.4 | 2.1 | -23% |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Canton; the highest is Cathays (304.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Llandaff (51.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | 2,505 | 175.8 | +98% |
| Llandaff | 468 | 51.5 | -42% |
| Llandaff North | 858 | 99.0 | +11% |
| Gabalfa | 951 | 94.9 | +7% |
| Cathays | 7,292 | 304.8 | +242% |
| Caerau | 1,700 | 141.6 | +59% |
| Fairwater | 1,316 | 94.2 | +6% |
| Grangetown | 2,331 | 104.7 | +18% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Canton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Leckwith Road” (133).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Leckwith Road | 133 |
| On or near Tintern Street | 77 |
| On or near Pembrook Mews | 57 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 48 |
| On or near Redcliffe Avenue | 36 |
| On or near Rhodri Morgan Way | 35 |
| On or near Supermarket | 31 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 28 |
| On or near Leckwith Place | 28 |
| On or near Broad Place | 26 |
Of the 1,397 crimes in Canton with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 102 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 601 | 43.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 409 | 29.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 190 | 13.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 68 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 63 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 30 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Canton has an estimated population of 16,843 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (50%, against 34%), a younger population (14%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (16%, against 22%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Canton average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Canton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 49.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Canton a safe place to live?
Canton recorded 89.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,527th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Canton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 458 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (228).
Is crime in Canton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Canton was up 6% on the year before: 1,499 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,409 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Canton?
About 16,843 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Canton?
Canton is policed by South Wales.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.