Porthcawl Crime Rate July 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Porthcawl's crime profile in July 2024 reveals a combination of local and national trends, with the area's overall crime rate of 7.0 per 1,000 marking a 16.7% deficit compared to the UK average of 8.4 per 1,000. This discrepancy is most pronounced in the category of shoplifting, which recorded 17 incidents—62% above the UK average of 0.7 per 1,000. The built-up nature of Porthcawl, situated within the larger Bridgend borough, likely contributes to this anomaly, as its retail and tourism sectors attract both visitors and potential offenders. Violence and sexual offences (47 cases, 41.2% of total crimes) remained the most prevalent category, aligning with the UK average of 2.9 per 1,000.9 per 1,000 is identical to the national benchmark. Anti-social behaviour (21 cases, 18.4% of total) also rose sharply, potentially reflecting the area's summer dynamics, where crowded public spaces and festivals may amplify such incidents. The seasonal context of July—peak tourism, open-air events, and school holidays—suggests that local crime patterns are influenced by temporary population shifts, with higher foot traffic in retail and leisure zones likely contributing to the shoplifting surge. However, the broader trend of declining overall crime may indicate that targeted policing efforts or community engagement initiatives are having a positive impact, even if not explicitly documented in the data.

July 2024 saw a 90.9% increase in anti-social behaviour, with incidents rising from 11 to 21, a shift that may reflect the dynamics of a summer month with increased public gatherings. Shoplifting also rose by 21.4%, from 14 to 17 cases, placing Porthcawl's rate 62% above the UK average of 0.7 per 1,000. This anomaly may be linked to the area's tourism-driven economy, where retail spaces attract both visitors and opportunistic offenders. Conversely, criminal damage and arson fell sharply by 66.7%, from 12 to 4, influenced by the reduced presence of transient populations during school holidays. The 100% increase in possession of weapons, from 0 to 1 incident, is a rare but significant change, though the small sample size limits broader interpretation. These fluctuations underscore the need for residents to remain vigilant during peak tourist periods, even as overall crime trends show a modest decline.

Porthcawl's crime rate in July 2024 (7.0 per 1,000) marked a 6.5% decline from the previous month's 7.5 per 1,000, reflecting a slight but consistent trend toward lower overall crime. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 4 crimes per day over July, a figure that aligns with typical patterns for a built-up coastal town during peak summer. When scaled to the population of 16,260, this translates to one reported crime for every 143 residents over the course of the month, a measure that contextualises the scale of crime relative to local demographics. This monthly exposure is lower than the UK average, which would be expected given Porthcawl's overall rate of 7.0 per 1,000 compared to the national 8.4 per 1,000. The reduction in criminal damage and arson (down 66.7%) and vehicle crime (down 50%) may partly reflect seasonal factors, such as the closure of schools and the shift in community activity during summer holidays, though the absence of specific data on local initiatives means these changes remain speculative.