Nelson (Caerphilly) Crime Rate

Nelson (Caerphilly) maintains a relatively high safety profile with a safety score of 84/100, where a higher score indicates a safer environment. The overall crime rate is 59.9 per 1,000 people per year, which is significantly lower than the UK average of 93.1. This suggests that Nelson is a safer-than-average settlement within the region. Furthermore, the crime trend is moving in a positive direction for residents, with a substantial 23.1% year-over-year decrease in total reported offences. This downward trajectory reflects a improving safety landscape for the local community of approximately 4,440 residents.

In Nelson, the most frequent offences are violence and sexual offences, which account for 39.5% of total crime with 105 incidents. This is followed by anti-social behaviour (16.5%) and criminal damage and arson (10.2%). For residents and property owners, the property crime rate stands at 16.9 per 1,000 people. This includes 15 burglaries and 10 vehicle crimes over the period. While Nelson remains safer than many urban centres, the prevalence of criminal damage and theft-related offences suggests that homeowners should remain vigilant regarding perimeter security and the protection of external assets like vehicles and garden equipment.

The crime trend in Nelson is currently decreasing, with total offences falling by 23.1% compared to the previous year. Monthly data reveals fluctuations, with a peak rate of 9.7 per 1,000 people recorded in November 2024, followed by a significant drop to 4.1 in December. Throughout early 2025, the rate remained relatively stable between 4.1 and 5.0, before seeing a slight spike to 8.6 in August 2025. The most recent data from September 2025 shows an exceptionally low rate of 0.2. This overall decline suggests that local initiatives or policing changes are having a positive impact on the safety of the Nelson community.

How To Keep Safe in Nelson (Caerphilly)

Violence and sexual offences are the most frequently reported crime type in the Nelson area. To enhance your personal safety, it is advisable to remain aware of your surroundings, particularly when walking alone during evening hours. Stick to well-lit, populated routes and avoid shortcuts through isolated parks or alleyways. Using personal safety apps that share your live location with trusted contacts can provide an extra layer of security. Additionally, always keep your mobile phone charged and easily accessible. If you are out late, consider pre-arranging transport or walking in groups, as there is safety in numbers within urban settlements.

Crime in Nelson follows distinct temporal patterns based on the type of offence. Morning hours are particularly prone to theft-related activities, which account for 37% of morning reports as retail and commercial activity begins. In the afternoon, theft remains high at 40%, while burglary also sees a peak at 22%, likely targeting homes while residents are at work. Evening hours see a shift toward 'other' offences, including anti-social behaviour, which makes up 57% of incidents. Overnight, the risk profile changes again; vehicle crime reaches its highest point at 28% of night-time activity, and burglary remains a significant threat at 23%, as offenders take advantage of the cover of darkness.

When comparing Nelson to its immediate neighbours, it occupies a middle ground in terms of regional safety. It is slightly less safe than Treharris, which recorded a rate of 57.2 crimes per 1,000, and significantly less safe than Trelewis, which recorded no reported crimes in this period. However, Nelson is considerably safer than Gelligaer, where the crime rate is much higher at 105.3. It also compares favourably to Abercynon, which has a higher rate of 74.5. This context places Nelson as one of the more secure urban settlements in the immediate Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil border area.

With a property crime rate of 16.9 per 1,000 people, Nelson residents should consider the limitations of traditional security. Most standard CCTV systems are reactive, merely providing footage of an incident after it has occurred. In contrast, scOS offers a proactive approach by using AI to detect threats at the property boundary. This prevents crime before it reaches your front door. For Nelson homeowners, scOS provides multi-camera intelligence that monitors all angles simultaneously, ensuring that the 28% of vehicle crimes occurring at night are intercepted by autonomous responses like light activation and speaker engagement, deterring intruders before they can act.