Crime in Gabalfa: statistics, rates and trends
951 crimes were recorded in Gabalfa in the 12 months to August 2026, 94.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 21% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Shoplifting (232), violence and sexual offences (211) and vehicle crime (104) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,368th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Gabalfa | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 951 | 42,811 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 94.9 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +21% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 10,024 | 383,919 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Gabalfa peaked in the year to August 2019 (999 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (787). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 1%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 951 | 94.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 787 | 78.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 817 | 81.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 975 | 97.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 805 | 80.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 916 | 91.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 939 | 93.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 999 | 99.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 939 | 93.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 99 |
| July 2026 | 105 |
| June 2026 | 75 |
| May 2026 | 88 |
| April 2026 | 91 |
| March 2026 | 69 |
| February 2026 | 50 |
| January 2026 | 63 |
| December 2025 | 57 |
| November 2025 | 83 |
| October 2025 | 96 |
| September 2025 | 75 |
Compared with England and Wales, Gabalfa recorded notably more bicycle theft (5.7 times the national rate), shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (55% below) and other theft (40% below). On the year before, public order rose from 47 to 76 and criminal damage and arson rose from 55 to 82, while burglary fell from 31 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 232 | 23.1 | 8.5 | +34% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 211 | 21.0 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 104 | 10.4 | 5.0 | +30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 82 | 8.2 | 6.7 | +49% |
| Public order | 76 | 7.6 | 6.7 | +62% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 69 | 6.9 | 15.4 | +35% |
| Bicycle theft | 47 | 4.7 | 0.8 | +7% |
| Other theft | 39 | 3.9 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Burglary | 23 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Robbery | 23 | 2.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Gabalfa; the highest is Cathays (304.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Llandaff (51.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gabalfa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathays | 7,292 | 304.8 | +221% |
| Heath | 907 | 69.6 | -27% |
| Llandaff North | 858 | 99.0 | +4% |
| Plasnewydd | 2,347 | 117.0 | +23% |
| Riverside | 2,505 | 175.8 | +85% |
| Penylan | 1,152 | 86.0 | -9% |
| Canton | 1,499 | 89.0 | -6% |
| Llandaff | 468 | 51.5 | -46% |
The 10 locations below account for 65% of the crime recorded in Gabalfa over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Batchelor Road” (135).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Batchelor Road | 135 |
| On or near Whitchurch Road | 131 |
| On or near Parkfield Place | 70 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 61 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 59 |
| On or near Pen-Y-Bryn Place | 52 |
| On or near Supermarket | 34 |
| On or near Longspears Avenue | 26 |
| On or near Flint Street | 25 |
| On or near Ventnor Place | 24 |
Of the 882 crimes in Gabalfa with a recorded outcome, 50% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 69 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 442 | 50.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 184 | 20.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 119 | 13.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 63 | 7.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 21 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
Gabalfa has an estimated population of 10,024 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (49.4%, against 7.9%), more private renting (42%, against 20%) and a younger population (5.6%, against 18.9%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gabalfa average decile 6.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Gabalfa | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 11.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 5.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 42.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 6.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 49.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 8.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 47.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 41.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.9 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Gabalfa a safe place to live?
Gabalfa recorded 94.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,368th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Gabalfa?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 232 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (211).
Is crime in Gabalfa going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gabalfa was up 21% on the year before: 951 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 787 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gabalfa?
About 10,024 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 5.6% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gabalfa?
Gabalfa 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.