Crime in Ebbw Vale: statistics, rates and trends
3,028 crimes were recorded in Ebbw Vale in the 12 months to August 2026, 147.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Ebbw Vale at a glance
- Crime trends in Ebbw Vale
- Types of crime in Ebbw Vale
- Ebbw Vale compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Ebbw Vale
- Streets with the most crime in Ebbw Vale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Ebbw Vale
- Demographics of Ebbw Vale
- Questions about crime in Ebbw Vale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (975), anti-social behaviour (655) and criminal damage and arson (365) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 72nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Ebbw Vale | Blaenau Gwent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,028 | 10,078 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 147.8 | 148.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 20,482 | 67,873 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ebbw Vale peaked in the year to August 2025 (3,062 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (2,162). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 37%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,028 | 147.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,062 | 149.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,794 | 136.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,508 | 122.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,407 | 117.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,224 | 108.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,432 | 118.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,162 | 105.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,217 | 108.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 233 |
| July 2026 | 289 |
| June 2026 | 257 |
| May 2026 | 262 |
| April 2026 | 276 |
| March 2026 | 276 |
| February 2026 | 286 |
| January 2026 | 252 |
| December 2025 | 217 |
| November 2025 | 209 |
| October 2025 | 248 |
| September 2025 | 223 |
Compared with England and Wales, Ebbw Vale recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (2.6 times the national rate), other crime (2.3 times the national rate) and public order (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (37% below) and drugs (25% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 131 to 202 and other crime rose from 75 to 101, while shoplifting fell from 181 to 109 and other theft fell from 187 to 135.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 975 | 47.6 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 655 | 32.0 | 15.4 | +6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 365 | 17.8 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Public order | 292 | 14.3 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 202 | 9.9 | 5.0 | +54% |
| Other theft | 135 | 6.6 | 6.4 | -28% |
| Shoplifting | 109 | 5.3 | 8.5 | -40% |
| Burglary | 106 | 5.2 | 3.6 | +34% |
| Other crime | 101 | 4.9 | 2.1 | +35% |
| Drugs | 50 | 2.4 | 3.3 | +6% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 1.1 | 1.0 | -8% |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ebbw Vale; the highest is Rhymney (183.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Oakdale (61.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ebbw Vale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tredegar | 2,425 | 182.4 | +23% |
| Brynmawr | 887 | 162.2 | +10% |
| Rhymney | 972 | 183.7 | +24% |
| Abertillery | 1,570 | 143.4 | -3% |
| Bargod | 993 | 122.6 | -17% |
| Abersychan | 743 | 103.0 | -30% |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 4,434 | 115.4 | -22% |
| Oakdale | 331 | 61.3 | -59% |
Of the 4 areas within Ebbw Vale, Ebbw Vale South had the highest crime rate (262.2 per 1,000) and Beaufort the lowest (112.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebbw Vale South | Neighbourhood | 4,318 | 1,132 | 262.2 |
| Ebbw Vale North | Neighbourhood | 4,785 | 634 | 132.5 |
| Rassau and Garnlydan | Neighbourhood | 4,266 | 544 | 127.5 |
| Beaufort | Neighbourhood | 5,709 | 641 | 112.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 26% of the crime recorded in Ebbw Vale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (253).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 253 |
| On or near Nightclub | 87 |
| On or near Bethcar Street | 67 |
| On or near Summerfield Road | 66 |
| On or near Glanffrwd Avenue | 58 |
| On or near Clos Trehelyg | 55 |
| On or near West End Terrace | 55 |
| On or near Market Street | 54 |
| On or near Alexandra Street | 46 |
| On or near Hospital | 46 |
Of the 2,373 crimes in Ebbw Vale with a recorded outcome, 31% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 655 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 894 | 37.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 725 | 30.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 363 | 15.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 135 | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 85 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 62 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 35 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 30 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 16 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Ebbw Vale has an estimated population of 20,482 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (25%, against 17%), more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (23%, against 34%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ebbw Vale average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Ebbw Vale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 24.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 27.9% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Ebbw Vale a safe place to live?
Ebbw Vale recorded 147.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 72nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Ebbw Vale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 975 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (655).
Is crime in Ebbw Vale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ebbw Vale was down 1% on the year before: 3,028 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,062 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ebbw Vale?
About 20,482 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ebbw Vale?
Ebbw Vale is policed by Gwent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.