Porthcawl Crime Rate May 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominate Porthcawl's crime picture in May 2024, accounting for 38.1% of all reported incidents. At 6.5 per 1,000 residents, the area's crime rate is 22.6% below the UK average of 8.4, reflecting a consistently safer profile for a built-up area within Bridgend. This lower rate is particularly notable given the town's coastal location, which typically sees higher rates of theft from the person and vehicle crime. The dominance of violent crime—40 incidents—suggests a combination of local demographics and seasonal factors. Longer evenings in May, coupled with bank holidays, likely contributed to increased socialising in public spaces, a pattern consistent with other coastal towns in Wales. Anti-social behaviour (13 incidents) and shoplifting (13 incidents) form the second and third most common categories, with the latter exceeding the UK average by 25%. This anomaly may reflect the town's retail infrastructure, though the overall crime rate remains significantly lower than national benchmarks. The balance between violent and property crimes in May shows a marked shift compared to previous months, with violent crime comprising 53% of all incidents, compared to 37% in April. This increase in violent crime, while not statistically extreme, warrants attention given its potential impact on community cohesion. The seasonal context of May—its position between the Easter break and summer holidays—may have influenced patterns of outdoor activity and alcohol consumption, factors that could explain the rise in violence and anti-social behaviour.

May 2024 saw a 200% increase in theft from the person, rising from one to three incidents, a sharp contrast to the previous month. This spike, though small in absolute terms, suggests heightened vulnerability during late evening hours, possibly linked to increased foot traffic in the town centre. Meanwhile, shoplifting rates (0.8 per 1,000) remained 25% above the UK average, indicating persistent challenges in retail crime despite broader declines. Vehicle crime plummeted by 87.5%, from eight to one incident, a drop that may reflect seasonal patterns as summer approaches and car usage shifts. Anti-social behaviour, however, remained 45% below the UK average at 0.8 per 1,000, a trend consistent with Porthcawl's lower overall crime profile. The data also reveals a 100% increase in bicycle theft, a category that is 25% above the UK average, tied to the influx of visitors during May's extended daylight hours.

Porthcawl's crime rate in May 2024 dropped to 6.5 per 1,000 residents, a 15.3% decrease from April's 7.6 per 1,000. This decline positions the area as one of the safer built-up areas in the UK, with a crime rate 22.6% below the national average. Locally, this translates to roughly three crimes reported per day in May, a figure that underscores the relatively low frequency of incidents despite the area's coastal location. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 155 residents, a monthly exposure rate that suggests most residents experience little to no direct involvement with crime. The population context is key: with 16,260 residents, even a modest absolute number of crimes can feel significant, but the per capita rate remains lower than the UK average. This contrast highlights the effectiveness of local policing strategies, though seasonal factors such as bank holidays and extended evenings may have played a role in moderating activity compared to previous months.