Crime in Rhyl: statistics, rates and trends
5,492 crimes were recorded in Rhyl in the 12 months to August 2026, 200.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (2,339), anti-social behaviour (983) and shoplifting (441) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 12th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Rhyl | Denbighshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 5,492 | 10,876 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 200.6 | 110.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 27,384 | 98,202 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Rhyl peaked in the year to August 2022 (6,523 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (5,020). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 5,492 | 200.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 5,319 | 194.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,312 | 194.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,877 | 214.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 6,523 | 238.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,367 | 196.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 5,302 | 193.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,883 | 214.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,020 | 183.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 539 |
| July 2026 | 465 |
| June 2026 | 459 |
| May 2026 | 467 |
| April 2026 | 458 |
| March 2026 | 444 |
| February 2026 | 442 |
| January 2026 | 488 |
| December 2025 | 410 |
| November 2025 | 488 |
| October 2025 | 408 |
| September 2025 | 424 |
Compared with England and Wales, Rhyl recorded notably more violence and sexual offences (2.5 times the national rate), drugs (2.5 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (2.4 times the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (48% below). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 34 to 54 and public order rose from 308 to 400.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 2,339 | 85.4 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 983 | 35.9 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 441 | 16.1 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Public order | 400 | 14.6 | 6.7 | +30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 393 | 14.4 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Other theft | 272 | 9.9 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Drugs | 220 | 8.0 | 3.3 | +6% |
| Burglary | 123 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Other crime | 105 | 3.8 | 2.1 | +9% |
| Vehicle crime | 71 | 2.6 | 5.0 | +3% |
| Possession of weapons | 57 | 2.1 | 1.0 | +10% |
| Bicycle theft | 54 | 2.0 | 0.8 | +59% |
| Theft from the person | 18 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 16 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rhyl |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinmel Bay | 1,000 | 105.7 | -47% |
| Prestatyn | 1,361 | 83.9 | -58% |
| Abergele | 746 | 81.5 | -59% |
| Denbigh | 680 | 82.5 | -59% |
| Colwyn Bay | 3,655 | 129.7 | -35% |
| Holywell (Flintshire) | 963 | 110.8 | -45% |
| Bagillt | 475 | 87.1 | -57% |
| West Kirby | 655 | 48.4 | -76% |
Of the 6 areas within Rhyl, Rhyl West had the highest crime rate (583.2 per 1,000) and Rhyl South the lowest (55.2), 11 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyl West | Neighbourhood | 5,302 | 3,092 | 583.2 |
| Rhyl South West | Neighbourhood | 5,696 | 1,059 | 185.9 |
| Rhyl East | Neighbourhood | 4,587 | 504 | 109.9 |
| Rhyl Trellewelyn | Neighbourhood | 4,122 | 349 | 84.7 |
| Rhyl Tŷ Newydd | Neighbourhood | 4,253 | 299 | 70.3 |
| Rhyl South | Neighbourhood | 3,424 | 189 | 55.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Rhyl over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (506).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 506 |
| On or near Sydenham Avenue | 312 |
| On or near Sussex Street | 171 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 151 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 135 |
| On or near Market Street | 131 |
| On or near Nightclub | 130 |
| On or near St Helens Place | 130 |
| On or near Stryd Bodfor | 126 |
| On or near Brookes Avenue | 107 |
Of the 4,509 crimes in Rhyl with a recorded outcome, 22% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 983 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,876 | 41.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,000 | 22.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 597 | 13.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 265 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 203 | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 169 | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 166 | 3.7% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 140 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 54 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Rhyl has an estimated population of 27,384 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with no qualifications (25%, against 18%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and more private renting (26%, against 20%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rhyl average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Rhyl | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 47.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 39.6% | 9.5% (Wales) |
Is Rhyl a safe place to live?
Rhyl recorded 200.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 12th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were violence and sexual offences and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Rhyl?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 2,339 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (983).
Is crime in Rhyl going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rhyl was up 3% on the year before: 5,492 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 5,319 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rhyl?
About 27,384 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rhyl?
Rhyl 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.