Crime in Sarn: statistics, rates and trends
1,120 crimes were recorded in Sarn in the 12 months to August 2026, 88.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (484), anti-social behaviour (169) and public order (145) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 491st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Sarn | Bridgend | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,120 | 12,487 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 88.4 | 84.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 12,666 | 147,530 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sarn peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,303 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (981). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,120 | 88.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,122 | 88.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,033 | 81.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,010 | 79.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 981 | 77.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,223 | 96.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,303 | 102.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,235 | 97.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,168 | 92.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 114 |
| July 2026 | 90 |
| June 2026 | 83 |
| May 2026 | 85 |
| April 2026 | 82 |
| March 2026 | 94 |
| February 2026 | 81 |
| January 2026 | 101 |
| December 2025 | 88 |
| November 2025 | 97 |
| October 2025 | 107 |
| September 2025 | 98 |
Compared with England and Wales, Sarn recorded notably more public order (72% above the national rate) and other crime (27% above the national rate), and notably less vehicle crime (59% below) and other theft (49% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 24 to 34, while other theft fell from 50 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 484 | 38.2 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 169 | 13.3 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Public order | 145 | 11.4 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 95 | 7.5 | 8.5 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 62 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Other theft | 42 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -16% |
| Other crime | 34 | 2.7 | 2.1 | +42% |
| Drugs | 33 | 2.6 | 3.3 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 2.1 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Sarn; the highest is Maesteg (99.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Pencoed (59.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sarn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgend | 5,105 | 97.5 | +10% |
| Pencoed | 591 | 59.4 | -33% |
| Pyle | 1,193 | 80.4 | -9% |
| Maesteg | 1,833 | 99.0 | +12% |
| Llanharan and Brynna | 781 | 89.6 | +1% |
| Porthcawl | 1,291 | 79.4 | -10% |
| Tonyrefail | 889 | 89.5 | +1% |
| Tonypandy | 1,386 | 80.5 | -9% |
Of the 2 areas within Sarn, St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre had the highest crime rate (89.3 per 1,000) and Aberkenfig the lowest (84.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre | Neighbourhood | 10,085 | 901 | 89.3 |
| Aberkenfig | Neighbourhood | 2,581 | 219 | 84.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Sarn over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sports/Recreation Area” (84).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 84 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 65 |
| On or near Supermarket | 38 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Heol-Y-Fferm | 33 |
| On or near Ffordd-Y-Gyfraith | 29 |
| On or near Merfield Close | 27 |
| On or near Ynysteg | 27 |
| On or near Heol Coed Leyshon | 26 |
| On or near Queen'S Avenue | 24 |
Of the 951 crimes in Sarn with a recorded outcome, 19% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 169 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 409 | 43.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 177 | 18.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 155 | 16.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 76 | 8.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 67 | 7.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 20 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Sarn has an estimated population of 12,666 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (13%, against 20%), fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%) and more residents with no qualifications (24%, against 18%). On the Wales WIMD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sarn average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Sarn | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (Wales) |
Is Sarn a safe place to live?
Sarn recorded 88.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 491st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were public order and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Sarn?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 484 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (169).
Is crime in Sarn going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sarn was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,120 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,122 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sarn?
About 12,666 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sarn?
Sarn 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.