Crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael: statistics, rates and trends
328 crimes were recorded in Kidwelly and St Ishmael in the 12 months to July 2026, 64.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 41% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael at a glance
- Crime trends in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
- Types of crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
- Kidwelly and St Ishmael compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
- Population and deprivation in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
- Questions about crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
- About this data
328 crimes were recorded in Kidwelly and St Ishmael in the 12 months to July 2026, 64.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 41% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 161 reports (49% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Kidwelly and St Ishmael has the 2,440th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Kidwelly and St Ishmael | Carmarthenshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 328 | 16,454 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 64.7 | 86.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +41% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 5,069 | 190,800 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael was highest in the year to July 2018 (405 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2024 (190). Over the whole period it fell 19%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 328 | 64.7 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 233 | 46.0 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 190 | 37.5 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 247 | 48.7 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 248 | 48.9 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 262 | 51.7 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 298 | 58.8 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 313 | 61.7 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 405 | 79.9 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 49 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 30 |
| April 2026 | 30 |
| March 2026 | 40 |
| February 2026 | 14 |
| January 2026 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 23 |
| November 2025 | 27 |
| October 2025 | 24 |
| September 2025 | 17 |
| August 2025 | 20 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Kidwelly and St Ishmael over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+65%) and criminal damage and arson (+47%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 161 | 31.8 | 0.93 | +30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 47 | 9.3 | 1.37 | +47% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 33 | 6.5 | 0.42 | +65% |
| Public order | 29 | 5.7 | 0.86 | +71% |
| Other theft | 20 | 3.9 | 0.62 | +54% |
| Burglary | 15 | 3.0 | 0.84 | +88% |
| Drugs | 7 | 1.4 | 0.42 | +0% |
| Vehicle crime | 7 | 1.4 | 0.28 | +250% |
| Other crime | 5 | 1.0 | 0.47 | +0% |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 0.23 | +100% |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.24 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 0.20 | n/a |
Violence and sexual offences in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 161 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (31.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 30% on the year before. It made up 49.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 47 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 47% on the year before. It made up 14.3% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 33 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 65% on the year before. It made up 10.1% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 71% on the year before. It made up 8.8% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 54% on the year before. It made up 6.1% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and up 88% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 250% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 100% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Kidwelly and St Ishmael
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Kidwelly and St Ishmael, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Kidwelly and St Ishmael.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kidwelly and St Ishmael |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llangyndeyrn | 196 | 36.7 | -43% |
| Pembrey | 252 | 60.2 | -7% |
| Burry Port | 467 | 110.3 | +71% |
| Hengoed | 320 | 72.7 | +12% |
| St Clears and Llansteffan | 289 | 53.1 | -18% |
| Carmarthen Town West | 501 | 88.0 | +36% |
| Carmarthen Town North and South | 1,881 | 201.3 | +211% |
| Lliedi | 633 | 116.2 | +80% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Kidwelly and St Ishmael over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 43 |
| On or near Ger Y Plas | 21 |
| On or near Llys Gwenllian | 20 |
| On or near Ger-Y-Gwendraeth | 18 |
| On or near West Hill Crescent | 16 |
| On or near Hillfield Villas | 15 |
| On or near Clos Yr Helyg | 12 |
| On or near Morfa Maen | 12 |
| On or near Lady Street | 11 |
| On or near Llys Y Foryd | 11 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Kidwelly and St Ishmael over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 140 | 42.7% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 63 | 19.2% |
| Under investigation | 47 | 14.3% |
| Not recorded | 33 | 10.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 3.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 9 | 2.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 2.4% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.8% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% |
Kidwelly and St Ishmael has an estimated population of 5,069. On the Wales WIMD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Kidwelly and St Ishmael sits in decile 5.2, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Kidwelly and St Ishmael |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.2% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 55.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.4% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.6% |
| Social rented homes | 12.8% |
| Private rented homes | 13.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 |
Is Kidwelly and St Ishmael a safe place to live?
Kidwelly and St Ishmael recorded 64.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 161 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (47).
Is crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kidwelly and St Ishmael was up 41% on the year before: 328 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 233 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Kidwelly and St Ishmael?
Kidwelly and St Ishmael is policed by Dyfed-Powys. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Kidwelly and St Ishmael. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.