Crime in Pontypridd: statistics, rates and trends
3,597 crimes were recorded in Pontypridd in the 12 months to August 2026, 105.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Pontypridd at a glance
- Crime trends in Pontypridd
- Types of crime in Pontypridd
- Pontypridd compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Pontypridd
- Streets with the most crime in Pontypridd
- What happened after crimes were reported in Pontypridd
- Demographics of Pontypridd
- Questions about crime in Pontypridd
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,520), public order (442) and shoplifting (373) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 289th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Pontypridd | Rhondda Cynon Taf | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,597 | 20,779 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 105.8 | 85.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 33,992 | 242,844 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Pontypridd peaked in the year to August 2019 (4,021 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (3,354). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,597 | 105.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,354 | 98.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,785 | 111.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,910 | 115.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,763 | 110.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,010 | 118.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,862 | 113.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,021 | 118.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,982 | 117.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 323 |
| July 2026 | 353 |
| June 2026 | 342 |
| May 2026 | 349 |
| April 2026 | 283 |
| March 2026 | 279 |
| February 2026 | 256 |
| January 2026 | 290 |
| December 2025 | 263 |
| November 2025 | 271 |
| October 2025 | 319 |
| September 2025 | 269 |
Compared with England and Wales, Pontypridd recorded notably more public order (2.0 times the national rate), violence and sexual offences (31% above the national rate) and shoplifting (30% above the national rate), and notably less robbery (42% below) and anti-social behaviour (32% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 295 to 373 and other theft rose from 140 to 165, while drugs fell from 137 to 106 and anti-social behaviour fell from 446 to 355.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,520 | 44.7 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Public order | 442 | 13.0 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 373 | 11.0 | 8.5 | +26% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 355 | 10.4 | 15.4 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 230 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 165 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +18% |
| Burglary | 117 | 3.4 | 3.6 | +7% |
| Vehicle crime | 115 | 3.4 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Drugs | 106 | 3.1 | 3.3 | -23% |
| Other crime | 91 | 2.7 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Possession of weapons | 32 | 0.9 | 1.0 | -9% |
| Robbery | 27 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 17 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Pontypridd; the highest is Ystrad Mynach (113.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Church Village (39.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Pontypridd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church Village | 574 | 39.7 | -62% |
| Abertridwr and Senghenydd | 515 | 80.6 | -24% |
| Beddau | 562 | 73.5 | -31% |
| Porth | 1,273 | 98.7 | -7% |
| Tonyrefail | 889 | 89.5 | -15% |
| Treharris | 354 | 57.0 | -46% |
| Caerphilly | 3,656 | 113.3 | +7% |
| Ystrad Mynach | 1,274 | 113.6 | +7% |
Of the 9 areas within Pontypridd, Pontypridd Town had the highest crime rate (226.5 per 1,000) and Cilfynydd the lowest (67.2), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontypridd Town | Neighbourhood | 2,958 | 670 | 226.5 |
| Upper Rhydfelen and Glyn-taf | Neighbourhood | 3,071 | 409 | 133.2 |
| Hawthorn and Lower Rhydfelen | Neighbourhood | 2,300 | 256 | 111.3 |
| Treforest | Neighbourhood | 6,345 | 633 | 99.8 |
| Graig and Pontypridd West | Neighbourhood | 7,422 | 716 | 96.5 |
| Rhydfelen Central | Neighbourhood | 3,646 | 301 | 82.6 |
| Trallwng | Neighbourhood | 3,739 | 295 | 78.9 |
| Glyn-coch | Neighbourhood | 2,905 | 214 | 73.7 |
| Cilfynydd | Neighbourhood | 2,917 | 196 | 67.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Pontypridd over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (298).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 298 |
| On or near Police Station | 147 |
| On or near Church Street | 124 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 119 |
| On or near Nightclub | 95 |
| On or near Parking Area | 88 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 71 |
| On or near Yr Hen Fuarth | 63 |
| On or near Taff Vale Street | 55 |
| On or near Supermarket | 54 |
Of the 3,242 crimes in Pontypridd with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 355 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,163 | 35.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 746 | 23.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 615 | 19.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 242 | 7.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 190 | 5.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 137 | 4.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 70 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 55 | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Pontypridd has an estimated population of 33,992 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (14.2%, against 7.9%) and more residents with no qualifications (23%, against 18%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Pontypridd average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Pontypridd | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 14.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 13.4% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Pontypridd a safe place to live?
Pontypridd recorded 105.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 289th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Pontypridd?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,520 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by public order (442).
Is crime in Pontypridd going up or down?
Recorded crime in Pontypridd was up 7% on the year before: 3,597 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,354 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Pontypridd?
About 33,992 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Pontypridd?
Pontypridd 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.