Crime in Pencoed: statistics, rates and trends
591 crimes were recorded in Pencoed in the 12 months to August 2026, 59.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (273), public order (84) and anti-social behaviour (77) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 969th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Pencoed | Bridgend | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 591 | 12,487 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.4 | 84.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 9,957 | 147,530 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Pencoed peaked in the year to August 2024 (638 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (540). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 8%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 591 | 59.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 614 | 61.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 638 | 64.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 599 | 60.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 544 | 54.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 549 | 55.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 616 | 61.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 540 | 54.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 547 | 54.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 61 |
| July 2026 | 70 |
| June 2026 | 57 |
| May 2026 | 51 |
| April 2026 | 47 |
| March 2026 | 41 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 43 |
| December 2025 | 34 |
| November 2025 | 47 |
| October 2025 | 64 |
| September 2025 | 45 |
Compared with England and Wales, Pencoed recorded notably more public order (27% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (66% below) and vehicle crime (58% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 20 to 29 and public order rose from 62 to 84, while criminal damage and arson fell from 60 to 33 and vehicle crime fell from 38 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 273 | 27.4 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Public order | 84 | 8.4 | 6.7 | +35% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 77 | 7.7 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 33 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -45% |
| Other theft | 30 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 29 | 2.9 | 8.5 | +45% |
| Other crime | 21 | 2.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 21 | 2.1 | 5.0 | -45% |
| Burglary | 13 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 7 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Pencoed; the highest is Porth (98.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Pontyclun (38.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Pencoed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llanharan and Brynna | 781 | 89.6 | +51% |
| Bridgend | 5,105 | 97.5 | +64% |
| Sarn | 1,120 | 88.4 | +49% |
| Tonyrefail | 889 | 89.5 | +51% |
| Pontyclun | 200 | 38.9 | -34% |
| Beddau | 562 | 73.5 | +24% |
| Tonypandy | 1,386 | 80.5 | +36% |
| Porth | 1,273 | 98.7 | +66% |
Pencoed and Penprysg is the one area listed within Pencoed, with 59.4 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pencoed and Penprysg | Neighbourhood | 9,957 | 591 | 59.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Pencoed over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (42).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 42 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 37 |
| On or near Parking Area | 30 |
| On or near Penybont Road | 27 |
| On or near Clos Y Ffowndri | 23 |
| On or near Penprysg Road | 16 |
| On or near Cae Glas | 14 |
| On or near Erw Ifan | 14 |
| On or near Heol Ewenny | 14 |
| On or near Clos Yr Ysgol | 12 |
Of the 514 crimes in Pencoed with a recorded outcome, 26% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 77 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 185 | 36.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 133 | 25.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 112 | 21.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 46 | 8.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 21 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Pencoed has an estimated population of 9,957 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), less private renting (12%, against 20%) and less social housing (11%, against 17%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Pencoed average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Pencoed | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Pencoed a safe place to live?
Pencoed recorded 59.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 969th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order.
What is the most common crime in Pencoed?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 273 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (84).
Is crime in Pencoed going up or down?
Recorded crime in Pencoed was down 4% on the year before: 591 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 614 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Pencoed?
About 9,957 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Pencoed?
Pencoed is policed by South Wales.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.