Crime in Prestatyn: statistics, rates and trends
1,361 crimes were recorded in Prestatyn in the 12 months to August 2026, 83.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 17% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Prestatyn at a glance
- Crime trends in Prestatyn
- Types of crime in Prestatyn
- Prestatyn compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Prestatyn
- Streets with the most crime in Prestatyn
- What happened after crimes were reported in Prestatyn
- Demographics of Prestatyn
- Questions about crime in Prestatyn
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (544), anti-social behaviour (310) and shoplifting (148) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 550th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Prestatyn | Denbighshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,361 | 10,876 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.9 | 110.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -17% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,215 | 98,202 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Prestatyn of any year here (1,361 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,361 | 83.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,645 | 101.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,957 | 120.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,888 | 116.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,012 | 124.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,778 | 109.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,792 | 110.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,207 | 136.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,800 | 111.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 119 |
| July 2026 | 123 |
| June 2026 | 100 |
| May 2026 | 118 |
| April 2026 | 131 |
| March 2026 | 112 |
| February 2026 | 93 |
| January 2026 | 84 |
| December 2025 | 109 |
| November 2025 | 141 |
| October 2025 | 126 |
| September 2025 | 105 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (71% below) and burglary (55% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting fell from 239 to 148 and burglary fell from 33 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 544 | 33.5 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 310 | 19.1 | 15.4 | -20% |
| Shoplifting | 148 | 9.1 | 8.5 | -38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 94 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Other theft | 80 | 4.9 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Public order | 78 | 4.8 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Burglary | 26 | 1.6 | 3.6 | -21% |
| Other crime | 24 | 1.5 | 2.1 | +9% |
| Vehicle crime | 23 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Drugs | 16 | 1.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Prestatyn; the highest is Rhyl (200.6 per 1,000) and the lowest West Kirby (48.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Prestatyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyl | 5,492 | 200.6 | +139% |
| Kinmel Bay | 1,000 | 105.7 | +26% |
| Abergele | 746 | 81.5 | -3% |
| Holywell (Flintshire) | 963 | 110.8 | +32% |
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | +4% |
| Denbigh | 680 | 82.5 | -2% |
| West Kirby | 655 | 48.4 | -42% |
| Hoylake | 329 | 54.1 | -36% |
Of the 4 areas within Prestatyn, Prestatyn East had the highest crime rate (127.1 per 1,000) and Prestatyn South West the lowest (58.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestatyn East | Neighbourhood | 3,895 | 495 | 127.1 |
| Prestatyn Central | Neighbourhood | 3,509 | 318 | 90.6 |
| Prestatyn North | Neighbourhood | 5,725 | 368 | 64.3 |
| Prestatyn South West | Neighbourhood | 3,086 | 180 | 58.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Prestatyn over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (100).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 100 |
| On or near Parking Area | 87 |
| On or near Bridge Road | 59 |
| On or near Alexandra Drive | 57 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 50 |
| On or near B5120 | 37 |
| On or near South Avenue | 33 |
| On or near Victoria Avenue | 30 |
| On or near Queensway | 23 |
| On or near Windermere Drive | 22 |
Of the 1,051 crimes in Prestatyn with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 310 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 415 | 39.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 309 | 29.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 128 | 12.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 56 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 43 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 37 | 3.5% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Prestatyn has an estimated population of 16,215 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (31%, against 19%), more retired residents (34%, against 22%) and less social housing (7.6%, against 17.1%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Prestatyn average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Prestatyn | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 31.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Prestatyn a safe place to live?
Prestatyn recorded 83.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 550th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Prestatyn?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 544 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (310).
Is crime in Prestatyn going up or down?
Recorded crime in Prestatyn was down 17% on the year before: 1,361 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,645 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Prestatyn?
About 16,215 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 31% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Prestatyn?
Prestatyn 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.