Crime in Bangor: statistics, rates and trends
2,903 crimes were recorded in Bangor in the 12 months to August 2026, 155.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (947), anti-social behaviour (566) and shoplifting (422) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 54th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bangor | Gwynedd | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,903 | 10,688 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 155.4 | 88.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +16% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 18,682 | 120,813 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bangor peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,962 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (2,447). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 3%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,903 | 155.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,513 | 134.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,447 | 131.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,846 | 152.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,838 | 151.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,731 | 146.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,962 | 158.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,922 | 156.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,812 | 150.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 305 |
| July 2026 | 212 |
| June 2026 | 230 |
| May 2026 | 284 |
| April 2026 | 242 |
| March 2026 | 235 |
| February 2026 | 242 |
| January 2026 | 248 |
| December 2025 | 233 |
| November 2025 | 241 |
| October 2025 | 237 |
| September 2025 | 194 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bangor recorded notably more shoplifting (2.7 times the national rate), public order (2.0 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (38% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 22 to 44 and burglary rose from 46 to 89.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 947 | 50.7 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 566 | 30.3 | 15.4 | +33% |
| Shoplifting | 422 | 22.6 | 8.5 | +33% |
| Public order | 249 | 13.3 | 6.7 | +35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 215 | 11.5 | 6.7 | +9% |
| Other theft | 144 | 7.7 | 6.4 | -13% |
| Drugs | 106 | 5.7 | 3.3 | -2% |
| Burglary | 89 | 4.8 | 3.6 | +93% |
| Vehicle crime | 58 | 3.1 | 5.0 | +5% |
| Other crime | 44 | 2.4 | 2.1 | +100% |
| Possession of weapons | 23 | 1.2 | 1.0 | +5% |
| Robbery | 18 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Bangor; the highest is Llandudno (213.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Conwy (76.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caernarfon | 1,646 | 159.8 | +3% |
| Conwy | 1,213 | 76.5 | -51% |
| Llandudno | 3,241 | 213.9 | +38% |
| Colwyn Bay | 3,655 | 129.7 | -17% |
| Holyhead | 1,554 | 125.7 | -19% |
| Abergele | 746 | 81.5 | -48% |
| Kinmel Bay | 1,000 | 105.7 | -32% |
| Rhyl | 5,492 | 200.6 | +29% |
Of the 5 areas within Bangor, Dewi had the highest crime rate (191.3 per 1,000) and Y Faenol the lowest (88.5).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewi | Neighbourhood | 2,101 | 402 | 191.3 |
| Canol Bangor | Neighbourhood | 9,121 | 1,526 | 167.3 |
| Dwyrain Bangor | Neighbourhood | 3,717 | 582 | 156.6 |
| Glyder | Neighbourhood | 1,693 | 175 | 103.4 |
| Y Faenol | Neighbourhood | 3,221 | 285 | 88.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Bangor over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (239).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 239 |
| On or near Parking Area | 209 |
| On or near Hospital | 177 |
| On or near Rhes Plas Llwyd | 123 |
| On or near Supermarket | 115 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 110 |
| On or near Well Street | 86 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 83 |
| On or near Friars Road | 72 |
| On or near Nightclub | 62 |
Of the 2,337 crimes in Bangor with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 566 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 803 | 34.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 606 | 25.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 373 | 16.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 205 | 8.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 148 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 83 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 60 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 23 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Bangor has an estimated population of 18,682 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (38.0%, against 7.9%), more unemployed residents (6.3%, against 3.4%) and more social housing (27%, against 17%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bangor average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Bangor | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 42.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 38.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 29.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.4% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Bangor a safe place to live?
Bangor recorded 155.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 54th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and public order.
What is the most common crime in Bangor?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 947 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (566).
Is crime in Bangor going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bangor was up 16% on the year before: 2,903 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,513 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bangor?
About 18,682 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bangor?
Bangor is policed by North Wales.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.