Crime in Ruthin: statistics, rates and trends
498 crimes were recorded in Ruthin in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (235), anti-social behaviour (106) and criminal damage and arson (33) made up 75% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 537th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Ruthin | Denbighshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 498 | 10,876 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.5 | 110.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 5,892 | 98,202 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Ruthin peaked in the year to August 2025 (502 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (326). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 39%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 498 | 84.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 502 | 85.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 432 | 73.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 398 | 67.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 436 | 74.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 410 | 69.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 326 | 55.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 394 | 66.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 358 | 60.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 35 |
| July 2026 | 44 |
| June 2026 | 53 |
| May 2026 | 46 |
| April 2026 | 46 |
| March 2026 | 40 |
| February 2026 | 34 |
| January 2026 | 25 |
| December 2025 | 43 |
| November 2025 | 48 |
| October 2025 | 30 |
| September 2025 | 54 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (56% below) and public order (34% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 77 to 106, while public order fell from 31 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 235 | 39.9 | 34.2 | -9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 106 | 18.0 | 15.4 | +38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 33 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other theft | 29 | 4.9 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Public order | 26 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 22 | 3.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Burglary | 16 | 2.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 7 | 1.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Ruthin; the highest is Mold (116.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Penyffordd (36.8).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Ruthin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denbigh | 680 | 82.5 | -2% |
| Mold | 1,194 | 116.1 | +37% |
| Mynydd Isa | 232 | 41.5 | -51% |
| Buckley | 939 | 66.9 | -21% |
| Penyffordd | 186 | 36.8 | -56% |
| Flint | 1,526 | 108.2 | +28% |
| Brynteg (Wrexham) | 698 | 74.0 | -12% |
| Holywell (Flintshire) | 963 | 110.8 | +31% |
Ruthin is the one area listed within Ruthin, with 84.5 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruthin | Neighbourhood | 5,892 | 498 | 84.5 |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Ruthin over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “St Peter'S Square” (38).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near St Peter'S Square | 38 |
| On or near A494 | 29 |
| On or near Canol-Y-Dre | 27 |
| On or near Mill Street | 27 |
| On or near Upper Clwyd Street | 22 |
| On or near Llys Famau | 21 |
| On or near Stryd Yr Eos | 20 |
| On or near Stryd Yr Hebog | 17 |
| On or near Wynnstay Road | 17 |
| On or near Stryt Y Rhos | 16 |
Of the 392 crimes in Ruthin with a recorded outcome, 16% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 106 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 177 | 45.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 70 | 17.9% | 11.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 63 | 16.1% | 35.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 20 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 18 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 4.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Ruthin has an estimated population of 5,892 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%), more retired residents (29%, against 22%) and an older population (25%, against 19%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Ruthin average decile 8.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Ruthin | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Ruthin a safe place to live?
Ruthin recorded 84.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 537th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Ruthin?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 235 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (106).
Is crime in Ruthin going up or down?
Recorded crime in Ruthin was almost unchanged on the year before: 498 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 502 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Ruthin?
About 5,892 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Ruthin?
Ruthin 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.