Crime in Riverside, Cardiff: statistics, rates and trends
2,505 crimes were recorded in Riverside, Cardiff in the 12 months to August 2026, 175.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Riverside, Cardiff at a glance
- Crime trends in Riverside, Cardiff
- Types of crime in Riverside, Cardiff
- Riverside, Cardiff compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Riverside, Cardiff
- What happened after crimes were reported in Riverside, Cardiff
- Demographics of Riverside, Cardiff
- Questions about crime in Riverside, Cardiff
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (652), vehicle crime (336) and shoplifting (282) made up 51% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 279th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Riverside, Cardiff | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,505 | 42,811 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 175.8 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 14,246 | 383,919 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Riverside, Cardiff peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,766 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,327). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 1%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,505 | 175.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,327 | 163.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,473 | 173.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,660 | 186.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,430 | 170.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,669 | 187.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,766 | 194.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,683 | 188.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,540 | 178.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 214 |
| July 2026 | 260 |
| June 2026 | 247 |
| May 2026 | 270 |
| April 2026 | 183 |
| March 2026 | 161 |
| February 2026 | 186 |
| January 2026 | 181 |
| December 2025 | 160 |
| November 2025 | 243 |
| October 2025 | 217 |
| September 2025 | 183 |
Compared with England and Wales, Riverside, Cardiff recorded notably more bicycle theft (6.1 times the national rate), vehicle crime (4.7 times the national rate) and robbery (2.9 times the national rate). On the year before, robbery rose from 23 to 56 and public order rose from 204 to 266.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 652 | 45.8 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Vehicle crime | 336 | 23.6 | 5.0 | +20% |
| Shoplifting | 282 | 19.8 | 8.5 | -14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 271 | 19.0 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Public order | 266 | 18.7 | 6.7 | +30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 184 | 12.9 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Other theft | 156 | 11.0 | 6.4 | +16% |
| Burglary | 107 | 7.5 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Bicycle theft | 72 | 5.1 | 0.8 | +11% |
| Robbery | 56 | 3.9 | 1.4 | +143% |
| Drugs | 48 | 3.4 | 3.3 | -13% |
| Other crime | 39 | 2.7 | 2.1 | +11% |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 1.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Riverside, Cardiff; the highest is Cathays (304.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Canton (89.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Riverside, Cardiff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton | 1,499 | 89.0 | -49% |
| Cathays | 7,292 | 304.8 | +73% |
| Grangetown | 2,331 | 104.7 | -40% |
| Gabalfa | 951 | 94.9 | -46% |
| Plasnewydd | 2,347 | 117.0 | -33% |
| Butetown | 3,093 | 228.3 | +30% |
| Adamsdown | 2,948 | 222.9 | +27% |
| Llandaff North | 858 | 99.0 | -44% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Riverside, Cardiff over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (285).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 285 |
| On or near Ann Street | 154 |
| On or near Parking Area | 125 |
| On or near Hospital | 106 |
| On or near Mandeville Street | 106 |
| On or near Kings Road | 94 |
| On or near Picton Place | 78 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 74 |
| On or near Iestyn Street | 63 |
| On or near Tudor Lane | 63 |
Of the 2,234 crimes in Riverside, Cardiff with a recorded outcome, 46% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 271 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,025 | 45.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 580 | 26.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 328 | 14.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 142 | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 70 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 47 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Riverside, Cardiff has an estimated population of 14,246 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (40%, against 20%), more households without a car (37%, against 23%) and fewer retired residents (12%, against 22%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Riverside, Cardiff average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Riverside, Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 11.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 49.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 37.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 45.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 39.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 27.6% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Riverside, Cardiff a safe place to live?
Riverside, Cardiff recorded 175.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 279th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Riverside, Cardiff?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 652 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (336).
Is crime in Riverside, Cardiff going up or down?
Recorded crime in Riverside, Cardiff was up 8% on the year before: 2,505 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,327 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Riverside, Cardiff?
About 14,246 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Riverside, Cardiff?
Riverside, 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.