Crime in Ely, Cardiff: statistics, rates and trends
1,886 crimes were recorded in Ely, Cardiff in the 12 months to August 2026, 118.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ely, Cardiff at a glance
- Crime trends in Ely, Cardiff
- Types of crime in Ely, Cardiff
- Ely, Cardiff compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Ely, Cardiff
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ely, Cardiff
- Demographics of Ely, Cardiff
- Questions about crime in Ely, Cardiff
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (768), public order (237) and anti-social behaviour (213) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 839th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Ely, Cardiff | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,886 | 42,811 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 118.8 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 15,874 | 383,919 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Ely, Cardiff of any year here (1,886 crimes). 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 | 1,886 | 118.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,909 | 120.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,045 | 128.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,043 | 128.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,938 | 122.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,224 | 140.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,033 | 128.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,004 | 126.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,167 | 136.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 178 |
| July 2026 | 198 |
| June 2026 | 146 |
| May 2026 | 179 |
| April 2026 | 181 |
| March 2026 | 169 |
| February 2026 | 140 |
| January 2026 | 120 |
| December 2025 | 141 |
| November 2025 | 154 |
| October 2025 | 152 |
| September 2025 | 128 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ely, Cardiff recorded notably more public order (2.2 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (82% above the national rate) and other crime (73% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (26% below) and other theft (23% below). On the year before, public order rose from 194 to 237 and other crime rose from 48 to 58, while anti-social behaviour fell from 351 to 213 and drugs fell from 89 to 60.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 768 | 48.4 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Public order | 237 | 14.9 | 6.7 | +22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 213 | 13.4 | 15.4 | -39% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 195 | 12.3 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Shoplifting | 99 | 6.2 | 8.5 | +14% |
| Other theft | 79 | 5.0 | 6.4 | +14% |
| Vehicle crime | 72 | 4.5 | 5.0 | +16% |
| Drugs | 60 | 3.8 | 3.3 | -33% |
| Other crime | 58 | 3.7 | 2.1 | +21% |
| Burglary | 55 | 3.5 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 1.5 | 1.0 | -8% |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Ely, Cardiff; the highest is Riverside, Cardiff (175.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Radyr (28.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ely, Cardiff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caerau | 1,700 | 141.6 | +19% |
| Fairwater | 1,316 | 94.2 | -21% |
| Llandaff | 468 | 51.5 | -57% |
| Canton | 1,499 | 89.0 | -25% |
| Llandaff North | 858 | 99.0 | -17% |
| Riverside | 2,505 | 175.8 | +48% |
| Radyr | 211 | 28.0 | -76% |
| Whitchurch and Tongwynlais | 1,170 | 72.3 | -39% |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in Ely, Cardiff over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Cymric Close” (89).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Cymric Close | 89 |
| On or near Cowbridge Road West | 77 |
| On or near Addison Crescent | 71 |
| On or near Courtis Road | 62 |
| On or near Ty-Cefn Road | 60 |
| On or near Highbury Place | 47 |
| On or near Plymouth Wood Road | 47 |
| On or near Mill Place | 45 |
| On or near Cadvan Road | 38 |
| On or near Jackson Road | 37 |
Of the 1,673 crimes in Ely, Cardiff with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 213 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 760 | 45.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 386 | 23.1% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 277 | 16.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 106 | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 61 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 39 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 21 | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Ely, Cardiff has an estimated population of 15,874 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (42%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (31%, against 18%) and more households without a car (36%, against 23%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ely, Cardiff average decile 2.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ely, Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 26.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 35.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 42.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.2 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 82.1% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Ely, Cardiff a safe place to live?
Ely, Cardiff recorded 118.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 839th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Ely, Cardiff?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 768 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (237).
Is crime in Ely, Cardiff going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ely, Cardiff was down 1% on the year before: 1,886 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,909 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ely, Cardiff?
About 15,874 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ely, Cardiff?
Ely, Cardiff 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.