Maesteg Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Maesteg's crime rate in May 2025 stood at 9.1 per 1,000 residents, placing it 12.3% above the UK average of 8.1. This marked the area's highest recorded rate in recent months, driven by a surge in violent crime. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 39.6% of all reported crimes, significantly outpacing the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000 (27% above). This category alone represented 67 incidents, underscoring a shift in the area's crime profile toward more direct confrontations. Property crimes followed with 64 incidents, though their share of total crimes (37.9%) was lower than the national average for similar areas. The seasonal context of May—characterised by longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising—may partly explain the rise in violent offences, as public spaces become more densely populated. Criminal damage and arson, at 22 incidents (13.0% of total), also exceeded the UK average by 100%, reflecting potential tensions tied to local events or property disputes. Shoplifting, with 21 incidents (12.4% of total), was 64% above the UK average, suggesting targeted retail areas may be experiencing heightened pressure. The area's position as a built-up district within Bridgend, with a mix of commercial and residential zones, likely contributes to these patterns. Anti-social behaviour, however, showed a notable decline of 55.6% compared to the previous month, linked to seasonal changes or local initiatives. Overall, the data highlights a combination of environmental factors and community dynamics that require careful monitoring.

May 2025 saw a dramatic 150% increase in burglary cases, rising from 2 to 5 incidents. This spike, though still low in absolute terms, may indicate heightened vulnerability in specific properties or a shift in criminal focus. Concurrently, theft from the person doubled, with one reported incident—a stark contrast to the previous month’s zero. This could reflect increased foot traffic in high-traffic areas or changes in local security measures. Other theft also rose by 80%, from 5 to 9, suggesting a broader pattern of opportunistic crimes. In contrast, anti-social behaviour fell sharply by 55.6%, from 45 to 20, due to seasonal factors such as the end of school terms reducing youth activity in public spaces. The violent crime category, at 3.6 per 1,000 residents, remains 27% above the UK average, with 67 incidents concentrated in areas with higher population density. Meanwhile, drugs offences dropped by 50%, from 2 to 1, though this remains well below the UK average of 0.3 per 1,000. The stark disparity between categories—such as the 100% UK average exceedance in criminal damage versus the 64% below in theft from the person—illustrates the uneven distribution of risk across crime types. Residents concerned about personal safety might note the 64% UK average exceedance in shoplifting, which could prompt targeted retail security reviews.

Maesteg’s crime rate in May 2025 (9.1 per 1,000) remained stable compared to the previous month’s 9.0, indicating no significant short-term fluctuations. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 5 crimes per day—a figure that, while locally specific, offers a tangible sense of frequency for residents. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 110 residents, a monthly exposure rate that, when compared to the area’s population of 18,585, highlights the relative density of incidents within this built-up district. This figure is higher than the UK average for similar areas, though the comparison is not directly quantified in the data. The population-scaled perspective reveals that, despite the overall rate being 12.3% above the UK average, the absolute number of crimes (169) is relatively modest given the area’s size. This suggests that the elevated rate is more about concentration than volume, possibly influenced by the area’s compact nature and mixed-use zoning. The stability in the crime rate, despite shifts in specific categories, indicates that systemic factors—rather than transient events—may be driving the current profile. For context, the daily crime count (5) is consistent with the area’s historical trends, though the monthly exposure rate (1 in 110) underscores the importance of targeted interventions in high-risk zones.