Crime in Penylan: statistics, rates and trends
1,152 crimes were recorded in Penylan in the 12 months to August 2026, 86.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (287), vehicle crime (157) and shoplifting (146) made up 51% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,641st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Penylan | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,152 | 42,811 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.0 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -11% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 13,394 | 383,919 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Penylan of any year here (1,152 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,152 | 86.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,295 | 96.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,385 | 103.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,493 | 111.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,611 | 120.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,464 | 109.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,419 | 105.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,485 | 110.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,587 | 118.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 120 |
| July 2026 | 128 |
| June 2026 | 98 |
| May 2026 | 95 |
| April 2026 | 101 |
| March 2026 | 92 |
| February 2026 | 74 |
| January 2026 | 77 |
| December 2025 | 85 |
| November 2025 | 85 |
| October 2025 | 108 |
| September 2025 | 89 |
Compared with England and Wales, Penylan recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.4 times the national rate), public order (51% above the national rate) and shoplifting (29% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (41% below) and violence and sexual offences (37% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 26 to 30, while burglary fell from 97 to 40 and shoplifting fell from 183 to 146.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 287 | 21.4 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 157 | 11.7 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 146 | 10.9 | 8.5 | -20% |
| Public order | 135 | 10.1 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 122 | 9.1 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 86 | 6.4 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 76 | 5.7 | 6.4 | -11% |
| Burglary | 40 | 3.0 | 3.6 | -59% |
| Drugs | 30 | 2.2 | 3.3 | +15% |
| Other crime | 17 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 16 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 15 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 15 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Penylan; the highest is Cathays (304.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Cyncoed (39.5).
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Penylan over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Southminster Road” (113).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Southminster Road | 113 |
| On or near Rhymney River Bridge Road | 76 |
| On or near Norwich Road | 62 |
| On or near Colchester Court | 48 |
| On or near Balaclava Road | 47 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 46 |
| On or near Harlequin Court | 42 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 42 |
| On or near Watford Road | 28 |
| On or near Attfield Close | 24 |
Of the 1,030 crimes in Penylan with a recorded outcome, 44% 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 122 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 455 | 44.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 273 | 26.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 156 | 15.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 65 | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Penylan has an estimated population of 13,394 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.7%, against 17.1%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (52%, against 34%) and more students (11.8%, against 7.9%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Penylan average decile 8.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Penylan | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 51.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Penylan a safe place to live?
Penylan recorded 86.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,641st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and public order.
What is the most common crime in Penylan?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 287 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (157).
Is crime in Penylan going up or down?
Recorded crime in Penylan was down 11% on the year before: 1,152 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,295 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Penylan?
About 13,394 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Penylan?
Penylan 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.