Crime in Colwyn Bay: statistics, rates and trends
3,705 crimes were recorded in Colwyn Bay in the 12 months to July 2026, 131.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Colwyn Bay at a glance
- Crime trends in Colwyn Bay
- Types of crime in Colwyn Bay
- Colwyn Bay compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Colwyn Bay
- Streets with the most crime in Colwyn Bay
- What happened after crimes were reported in Colwyn Bay
- Population and deprivation in Colwyn Bay
- Questions about crime in Colwyn Bay
- About this data
3,705 crimes were recorded in Colwyn Bay in the 12 months to July 2026, 131.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 7% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 1,579 reports (43% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Colwyn Bay has the 121st highest crime rate.
| Measure | Colwyn Bay | Conwy | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 3,705 | 12,295 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 131.5 | 107.0 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 28,172 | 114,891 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Colwyn Bay was highest in the year to July 2022 (4,891 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (3,181). Over the whole period it rose 16%, 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 | 3,705 | 131.5 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 3,978 | 141.2 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 4,059 | 144.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 4,268 | 151.5 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 4,891 | 173.6 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 4,155 | 147.5 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 3,869 | 137.3 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 3,707 | 131.6 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 3,181 | 112.9 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 362 |
| June 2026 | 314 |
| May 2026 | 338 |
| April 2026 | 322 |
| March 2026 | 287 |
| February 2026 | 220 |
| January 2026 | 290 |
| December 2025 | 251 |
| November 2025 | 304 |
| October 2025 | 360 |
| September 2025 | 325 |
| August 2025 | 332 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Colwyn Bay 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 violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, public order.
The largest increases were in possession of weapons (+77%) and other crime (+31%). The largest falls were in bicycle theft (-76%) and shoplifting (-26%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,579 | 56.0 | 1.64 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 767 | 27.2 | 1.77 | -4% |
| Public order | 276 | 9.8 | 1.47 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 272 | 9.7 | 1.42 | -17% |
| Shoplifting | 257 | 9.1 | 1.10 | -26% |
| Other theft | 173 | 6.1 | 0.96 | -5% |
| Drugs | 96 | 3.4 | 1.04 | +17% |
| Burglary | 88 | 3.1 | 0.88 | -21% |
| Other crime | 76 | 2.7 | 1.28 | +31% |
| Possession of weapons | 53 | 1.9 | 1.94 | +77% |
| Vehicle crime | 43 | 1.5 | 0.31 | +2% |
| Robbery | 14 | 0.5 | 0.37 | -12% |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.2 | 0.26 | -76% |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 0.11 | -50% |
Violence and sexual offences in Colwyn Bay
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Colwyn Bay recorded 1,579 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (56.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 4% on the year before. It made up 42.6% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Colwyn Bay
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Colwyn Bay recorded 767 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (27.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 4% on the year before. It made up 20.7% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Colwyn Bay
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Colwyn Bay recorded 276 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 7.4% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Colwyn Bay
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Colwyn Bay recorded 272 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 7.3% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Colwyn Bay
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Colwyn Bay recorded 257 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 26% on the year before. It made up 6.9% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Colwyn Bay
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Colwyn Bay recorded 173 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 4.7% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Colwyn Bay
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Colwyn Bay recorded 96 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 2.6% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Colwyn Bay
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Colwyn Bay recorded 88 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.1 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 21% on the year before. It made up 2.4% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Colwyn Bay
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Colwyn Bay recorded 76 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 31% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Colwyn Bay
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Colwyn Bay recorded 53 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 77% on the year before. It made up 1.4% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Colwyn Bay
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Colwyn Bay recorded 43 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Colwyn Bay
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Colwyn Bay recorded 14 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 12% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Colwyn Bay
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Colwyn Bay recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 76% on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Colwyn Bay
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Colwyn Bay recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Colwyn Bay, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Colwyn Bay.
7 areas within Colwyn Bay, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Glyn had the highest rate (236.0 per 1,000) and Llysfaen the lowest (92.9). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glyn | Neighbourhood | 4,657 | 1,099 | 236.0 |
| Eirias | Neighbourhood | 3,537 | 410 | 115.9 |
| Colwyn | Neighbourhood | 4,473 | 504 | 112.7 |
| Llandrillo-yn-Rhos | Neighbourhood | 7,186 | 764 | 106.3 |
| Mochdre | Neighbourhood | 1,975 | 195 | 98.7 |
| Rhiw | Neighbourhood | 6,383 | 600 | 94.0 |
| Llysfaen | Neighbourhood | 2,714 | 252 | 92.9 |
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 Colwyn Bay over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 197 |
| On or near Supermarket | 138 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 101 |
| On or near Hospital | 81 |
| On or near Station Road | 77 |
| On or near Penrhyn Road | 66 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 65 |
| On or near Princes Drive | 60 |
| On or near Woodland Road East | 55 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 55 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Colwyn Bay 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 | 1,334 | 36.0% |
| Not recorded | 767 | 20.7% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 510 | 13.8% |
| Under investigation | 418 | 11.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 224 | 6.0% |
| Status update unavailable | 155 | 4.2% |
| Local resolution | 94 | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 88 | 2.4% |
| Court result unavailable | 71 | 1.9% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 28 | 0.8% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.1% |
Colwyn Bay has an estimated population of 28,172. On the Wales WIMD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Colwyn Bay sits in decile 5.4, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Colwyn Bay |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.0% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 57.0% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.4% |
| Social rented homes | 14.9% |
| Private rented homes | 21.6% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 10.9% |
Is Colwyn Bay a safe place to live?
Colwyn Bay recorded 131.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher 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 Colwyn Bay?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,579 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (767).
Is crime in Colwyn Bay going up or down?
Recorded crime in Colwyn Bay was down 7% on the year before: 3,705 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 3,978 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Colwyn Bay?
Colwyn Bay is policed by North Wales. 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 Colwyn Bay. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.