Crime in Holywell (Flintshire): statistics, rates and trends
963 crimes were recorded in Holywell (Flintshire) in the 12 months to August 2026, 110.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Holywell (Flintshire) at a glance
- Crime trends in Holywell (Flintshire)
- Types of crime in Holywell (Flintshire)
- Holywell (Flintshire) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Holywell (Flintshire)
- Streets with the most crime in Holywell (Flintshire)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Holywell (Flintshire)
- Demographics of Holywell (Flintshire)
- Questions about crime in Holywell (Flintshire)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (381), anti-social behaviour (184) and shoplifting (111) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 250th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Holywell (Flintshire) | Flintshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 963 | 11,941 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 110.8 | 76.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 8,689 | 155,867 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Holywell (Flintshire) of any year here (963 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 31%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 963 | 110.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,122 | 129.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,214 | 139.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,447 | 166.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,589 | 182.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,358 | 156.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,429 | 164.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,233 | 141.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,402 | 161.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 101 |
| July 2026 | 92 |
| June 2026 | 71 |
| May 2026 | 78 |
| April 2026 | 81 |
| March 2026 | 84 |
| February 2026 | 70 |
| January 2026 | 79 |
| December 2025 | 43 |
| November 2025 | 80 |
| October 2025 | 94 |
| September 2025 | 90 |
Compared with England and Wales, Holywell (Flintshire) recorded notably more shoplifting (51% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (38% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (36% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (35% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 76 to 111 and other theft rose from 51 to 63, while burglary fell from 34 to 20 and criminal damage and arson fell from 133 to 80.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 381 | 43.8 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 184 | 21.2 | 15.4 | -31% |
| Shoplifting | 111 | 12.8 | 8.5 | +46% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 80 | 9.2 | 6.7 | -40% |
| Public order | 65 | 7.5 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 63 | 7.3 | 6.4 | +24% |
| Burglary | 20 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -41% |
| Drugs | 17 | 2.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 15 | 1.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 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.
Holywell (Flintshire) has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Holywell (Flintshire) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | -21% |
| Flint | 1,526 | 108.2 | -2% |
| Heswall | 1,000 | 34.1 | -69% |
| West Kirby | 655 | 48.4 | -56% |
| Neston (Cheshire West and Chester) | 755 | 51.7 | -53% |
| Connah's Quay | 1,458 | 87.5 | -21% |
| Greasby | 229 | 24.3 | -78% |
| Hoylake | 329 | 54.1 | -51% |
Of the 4 areas within Holywell (Flintshire), Holywell Central had the highest crime rate (253.8 per 1,000) and Whitford the lowest (31.9), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holywell Central | Neighbourhood | 2,080 | 528 | 253.8 |
| Holywell West | Neighbourhood | 2,419 | 231 | 95.5 |
| Holywell East | Neighbourhood | 1,961 | 133 | 67.8 |
| Whitford | Neighbourhood | 2,229 | 71 | 31.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Holywell (Flintshire) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Ffordd St Gregoire” (82).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Ffordd St Gregoire | 82 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 69 |
| On or near B5121 | 50 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 42 |
| On or near Cross Street | 39 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Moorfields | 32 |
| On or near Heol Fawr | 29 |
| On or near Abbots Walk | 24 |
| On or near Park Lane | 22 |
Of the 779 crimes in Holywell (Flintshire) with a recorded outcome, 21% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 184 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 302 | 38.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 165 | 21.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 117 | 15.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 55 | 7.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 6.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 38 | 4.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Holywell (Flintshire) has an estimated population of 8,689 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (14%, against 20%), fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Holywell (Flintshire) average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Holywell (Flintshire) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 23.9% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Holywell (Flintshire) a safe place to live?
Holywell (Flintshire) recorded 110.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 250th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Holywell (Flintshire)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 381 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (184).
Is crime in Holywell (Flintshire) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Holywell (Flintshire) was down 14% on the year before: 963 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,122 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Holywell (Flintshire)?
About 8,689 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Holywell (Flintshire)?
Holywell (Flintshire) 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.