Crime in Merthyr Tydfil: statistics, rates and trends
4,357 crimes were recorded in Merthyr Tydfil in the 12 months to July 2026, 113.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Merthyr Tydfil at a glance
- Crime trends in Merthyr Tydfil
- Types of crime in Merthyr Tydfil
- Merthyr Tydfil compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Merthyr Tydfil
- Streets with the most crime in Merthyr Tydfil
- What happened after crimes were reported in Merthyr Tydfil
- Population and deprivation in Merthyr Tydfil
- Questions about crime in Merthyr Tydfil
- About this data
4,357 crimes were recorded in Merthyr Tydfil in the 12 months to July 2026, 113.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 3% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 1,649 reports (38% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Merthyr Tydfil has the 230th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Merthyr Tydfil | Merthyr Tydfil | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 4,357 | 6,367 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.4 | 108.0 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 38,433 | 58,972 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Merthyr Tydfil was highest in the year to July 2021 (5,430 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (4,357). Over the whole period it fell 17%, 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 | 4,357 | 113.4 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 4,512 | 117.4 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 4,970 | 129.3 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 4,891 | 127.3 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 4,899 | 127.5 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 5,430 | 141.3 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 5,327 | 138.6 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 5,073 | 132.0 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 5,226 | 136.0 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 426 |
| June 2026 | 399 |
| May 2026 | 382 |
| April 2026 | 364 |
| March 2026 | 330 |
| February 2026 | 298 |
| January 2026 | 397 |
| December 2025 | 317 |
| November 2025 | 336 |
| October 2025 | 398 |
| September 2025 | 333 |
| August 2025 | 377 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Merthyr Tydfil 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, shoplifting, public order.
The largest increases were in robbery (+100%) and drugs (+20%). The largest falls were in possession of weapons (-26%) and burglary (-20%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,649 | 42.9 | 1.25 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 530 | 13.8 | 0.90 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 474 | 12.3 | 1.49 | -15% |
| Public order | 458 | 11.9 | 1.79 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 354 | 9.2 | 1.36 | -7% |
| Other theft | 252 | 6.6 | 1.03 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 200 | 5.2 | 1.06 | -18% |
| Drugs | 122 | 3.2 | 0.97 | +20% |
| Other crime | 113 | 2.9 | 1.39 | -18% |
| Burglary | 111 | 2.9 | 0.82 | -20% |
| Robbery | 40 | 1.0 | 0.77 | +100% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 0.7 | 0.75 | -26% |
| Theft from the person | 23 | 0.6 | 0.35 | -4% |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.1 | 0.09 | +50% |
Violence and sexual offences in Merthyr Tydfil
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 1,649 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (42.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 37.8% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Merthyr Tydfil
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 530 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (13.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 13% on the year before. It made up 12.2% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Merthyr Tydfil
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 474 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (12.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 15% on the year before. It made up 10.9% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Merthyr Tydfil
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 458 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 10.5% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Merthyr Tydfil
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 354 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 8.1% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Merthyr Tydfil
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 252 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 9% on the year before. It made up 5.8% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Merthyr Tydfil
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 200 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 18% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Merthyr Tydfil
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 122 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 20% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Merthyr Tydfil
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 113 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 18% on the year before. It made up 2.6% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Merthyr Tydfil
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 111 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 2.5% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Merthyr Tydfil
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 100% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Merthyr Tydfil
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 28 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 26% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Merthyr Tydfil
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 23 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 4% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Merthyr Tydfil
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Merthyr Tydfil recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 50% on the year before. It made up 0.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Merthyr Tydfil, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Merthyr Tydfil.
7 areas within Merthyr Tydfil, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Park had the highest rate (164.6 per 1,000) and Vaynor the lowest (75.4). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Neighbourhood | 4,198 | 691 | 164.6 |
| Gurnos | Neighbourhood | 5,419 | 818 | 151.0 |
| Town | Neighbourhood | 7,990 | 1,192 | 149.2 |
| Cyfarthfa | Neighbourhood | 7,398 | 949 | 128.3 |
| Dowlais and Pant | Neighbourhood | 6,657 | 646 | 97.0 |
| Penydarren | Neighbourhood | 5,189 | 424 | 81.7 |
| Vaynor | Neighbourhood | 3,289 | 248 | 75.4 |
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 Merthyr Tydfil over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 368 |
| On or near John Street | 184 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 110 |
| On or near Coedcae Row | 93 |
| On or near Post Office Lane | 82 |
| On or near Coffins Row | 77 |
| On or near Blackthorn Avenue | 70 |
| On or near Second Avenue | 57 |
| On or near Llys Corona | 49 |
| On or near Broad Street | 47 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Merthyr Tydfil 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 | 1,368 | 31.4% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 974 | 22.4% |
| Under investigation | 566 | 13.0% |
| Not recorded | 530 | 12.2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 400 | 9.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 187 | 4.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 162 | 3.7% |
| Local resolution | 111 | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 32 | 0.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.1% |
Merthyr Tydfil has an estimated population of 38,433. On the Wales WIMD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Merthyr Tydfil sits in decile 4.1, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Merthyr Tydfil |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.3% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 61.8% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.4% |
| Social rented homes | 25.0% |
| Private rented homes | 15.4% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 26.3% |
Is Merthyr Tydfil a safe place to live?
Merthyr Tydfil recorded 113.4 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 Merthyr Tydfil?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,649 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (530).
Is crime in Merthyr Tydfil going up or down?
Recorded crime in Merthyr Tydfil was down 3% on the year before: 4,357 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 4,512 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Merthyr Tydfil?
Merthyr Tydfil is policed by South 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 Merthyr Tydfil. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.