Crime in Cardiff: statistics, rates and trends
41,320 crimes were recorded in Cardiff in the 12 months to August 2026, 113.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
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Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (13,060), anti-social behaviour (4,928) and shoplifting (4,892) made up 55% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 225th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Cardiff | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 41,320 | 42,811 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.9 | 111.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 362,751 | 383,919 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Cardiff peaked in the year to August 2018 (47,664 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (41,211). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 13%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 41,320 | 113.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 41,211 | 113.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 45,460 | 125.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 44,262 | 122.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 42,445 | 117.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 47,341 | 130.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 46,637 | 128.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 47,302 | 130.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 47,664 | 131.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 4,175 |
| July 2026 | 4,330 |
| June 2026 | 3,660 |
| May 2026 | 3,640 |
| April 2026 | 3,435 |
| March 2026 | 3,226 |
| February 2026 | 2,923 |
| January 2026 | 2,892 |
| December 2025 | 2,945 |
| November 2025 | 3,481 |
| October 2025 | 3,484 |
| September 2025 | 3,129 |
Compared with England and Wales, Cardiff recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.6 times the national rate), public order (84% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (82% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (42% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 381 to 594 and possession of weapons rose from 359 to 453, while burglary fell from 1,499 to 1,239.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 13,060 | 36.0 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 4,928 | 13.6 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 4,892 | 13.5 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Public order | 4,438 | 12.2 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Vehicle crime | 3,281 | 9.0 | 5.0 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 3,031 | 8.4 | 6.7 | +1% |
| Other theft | 2,205 | 6.1 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Burglary | 1,239 | 3.4 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Drugs | 1,226 | 3.4 | 3.3 | -13% |
| Other crime | 826 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Bicycle theft | 791 | 2.2 | 0.8 | -6% |
| Robbery | 594 | 1.6 | 1.4 | +56% |
| Possession of weapons | 453 | 1.2 | 1.0 | +26% |
| Theft from the person | 356 | 1.0 | 1.7 | -11% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Cardiff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penarth | 1,673 | 59.6 | -48% |
| Dinas Powis | 362 | 43.2 | -62% |
| Caerphilly | 3,656 | 113.3 | -1% |
| Bedwas | 693 | 98.8 | -13% |
| Barry (Vale of Glamorgan) | 5,851 | 99.7 | -12% |
| Church Village | 574 | 39.7 | -65% |
| Abertridwr and Senghenydd | 515 | 80.6 | -29% |
| Beddau | 562 | 73.5 | -35% |
Of the 27 areas within Cardiff, Cathays had the highest crime rate (304.8 per 1,000) and Lisvane and Thornhill the lowest (26.1), 12 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathays | Neighbourhood | 23,927 | 7,292 | 304.8 |
| Butetown | Neighbourhood | 13,550 | 3,093 | 228.3 |
| Adamsdown | Neighbourhood | 13,226 | 2,948 | 222.9 |
| Riverside | Neighbourhood | 14,246 | 2,505 | 175.8 |
| Caerau | Neighbourhood | 12,009 | 1,700 | 141.6 |
| Ely | Neighbourhood | 15,874 | 1,886 | 118.8 |
| Splott | Neighbourhood | 14,856 | 1,758 | 118.3 |
| Plasnewydd | Neighbourhood | 20,068 | 2,347 | 117.0 |
| Llanrumney | Neighbourhood | 11,814 | 1,370 | 116.0 |
| Grangetown | Neighbourhood | 22,261 | 2,331 | 104.7 |
| Trowbridge | Neighbourhood | 18,079 | 1,876 | 103.8 |
| Llandaff North | Neighbourhood | 8,668 | 858 | 99.0 |
| Gabalfa | Neighbourhood | 10,024 | 951 | 94.9 |
| Fairwater | Neighbourhood | 13,965 | 1,316 | 94.2 |
| Canton | Neighbourhood | 16,843 | 1,499 | 89.0 |
| Penylan | Neighbourhood | 13,394 | 1,152 | 86.0 |
| Llanishen | Neighbourhood | 10,693 | 906 | 84.7 |
| Pentwyn | Neighbourhood | 15,483 | 1,153 | 74.5 |
| Whitchurch and Tongwynlais | Neighbourhood | 16,187 | 1,170 | 72.3 |
| Heath | Neighbourhood | 13,032 | 907 | 69.6 |
| Rumney | Neighbourhood | 9,378 | 638 | 68.0 |
| Pontprennau and Old St Mellons | Neighbourhood | 12,638 | 774 | 61.2 |
| Llandaff | Neighbourhood | 9,083 | 468 | 51.5 |
| Cyncoed | Neighbourhood | 13,445 | 531 | 39.5 |
| Rhiwbina | Neighbourhood | 11,724 | 356 | 30.4 |
| Radyr | Neighbourhood | 7,548 | 211 | 28.0 |
| Lisvane and Thornhill | Neighbourhood | 11,497 | 300 | 26.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 19% of the crime recorded in Cardiff over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,935).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,935 |
| On or near Supermarket | 1,577 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 876 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 770 |
| On or near Nightclub | 589 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 501 |
| On or near Heol Eglwys Fair | 478 |
| On or near Police Station | 408 |
| On or near Hospital | 397 |
| On or near Heol Y Tollty | 326 |
Of the 36,392 crimes in Cardiff with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 4,928 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 13,645 | 37.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 10,689 | 29.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 5,655 | 15.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 2,611 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 1,428 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 1,228 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 481 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 323 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 140 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 95 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 82 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 14 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Cardiff has an estimated population of 362,751 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (17.1%, against 7.9%), a younger population (14%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (17%, against 22%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Cardiff average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Cardiff | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 17.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 17.7% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Cardiff a safe place to live?
Cardiff recorded 113.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 225th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and public order.
What is the most common crime in Cardiff?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 13,060 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (4,928).
Is crime in Cardiff going up or down?
Recorded crime in Cardiff was almost unchanged on the year before: 41,320 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 41,211 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Cardiff?
About 362,751 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Cardiff?
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.