Crime in Hayle: statistics, rates and trends
793 crimes were recorded in Hayle in the 12 months to August 2026, 86.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (339), criminal damage and arson (115) and shoplifting (110) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 516th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Hayle | Cornwall | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 793 | 41,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.8 | 71.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 9,139 | 583,289 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Hayle peaked in the year to August 2025 (824 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (581). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 36%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 793 | 86.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 824 | 90.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 667 | 73.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 617 | 67.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 609 | 66.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 604 | 66.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 584 | 63.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 581 | 63.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 65 |
| July 2026 | 79 |
| June 2026 | 96 |
| May 2026 | 62 |
| April 2026 | 92 |
| March 2026 | 56 |
| February 2026 | 43 |
| January 2026 | 50 |
| December 2025 | 61 |
| November 2025 | 58 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 53 |
Compared with England and Wales, Hayle recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (87% above the national rate) and shoplifting (42% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (46% below) and public order (28% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 44 to 51, while anti-social behaviour fell from 146 to 76.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 339 | 37.1 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 115 | 12.6 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Shoplifting | 110 | 12.0 | 8.5 | +12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 76 | 8.3 | 15.4 | -48% |
| Other theft | 51 | 5.6 | 6.4 | +16% |
| Public order | 44 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Burglary | 19 | 2.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 9 | 1.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Hayle; the highest is Penzance (124.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Carbis Bay (43.0).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Hayle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbis Bay | 239 | 43.0 | -50% |
| St Ives (Cornwall) | 545 | 104.6 | +21% |
| Camborne | 2,199 | 98.3 | +13% |
| Penzance | 2,029 | 124.9 | +44% |
| Pool and Illogan | 1,078 | 108.4 | +25% |
| Helston | 622 | 60.2 | -31% |
| Redruth | 1,193 | 98.7 | +14% |
| Penryn | 736 | 84.5 | -3% |
Of the 2 areas within Hayle, Hayle West had the highest crime rate (80.9 per 1,000) and Gwinear-Gwithian & Hayle East the lowest (80.8).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayle West | Neighbourhood | 7,119 | 576 | 80.9 |
| Gwinear-Gwithian & Hayle East | Neighbourhood | 6,944 | 561 | 80.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Hayle over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (55).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 55 |
| On or near Parking Area | 54 |
| On or near Black Road | 51 |
| On or near Penpol Terrace | 51 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 31 |
| On or near Ellis Way | 24 |
| On or near Market Street | 23 |
| On or near Harvey'S Way | 22 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 17 |
| On or near Mount Pleasant | 16 |
Of the 717 crimes in Hayle with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 76 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 330 | 46.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 196 | 27.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 107 | 14.9% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Hayle has an estimated population of 9,139 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.2%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (29%, against 22%) and an older population (25%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Hayle average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Hayle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Hayle a safe place to live?
Hayle recorded 86.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 516th 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 shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Hayle?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 339 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (115).
Is crime in Hayle going up or down?
Recorded crime in Hayle was down 4% on the year before: 793 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 824 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Hayle?
About 9,139 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Hayle?
Hayle is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.