Carmarthen Crime Rate December 2024 | Monthly Statistics

Carmarthen's December 2024 crime rate of 12.2 per 1,000 residents places it 71.8% above the UK average of 7.1 per 1,000. This marked deviation reflects a concerning trend in violent crime, which accounted for 51.1% of all reported incidents—nearly double the UK average for this category. Violence and sexual offences alone were 142% higher than the national benchmark, while anti-social behaviour and public order offences also significantly exceeded UK averages by 28% and 144% respectively. The seasonal context of December—marked by Christmas shopping, extended dark evenings, and empty homes during holiday periods—likely contributes to these figures. The area's compact built-up nature, combined with its role as a regional hub for services and retail, may amplify tensions during high-traffic periods. Despite a slight decrease in property crimes (34 incidents), the dominance of violent crime over property crime (95 vs 34) indicates a shift in crime dynamics. This imbalance suggests that local factors such as socioeconomic pressures, alcohol-related incidents in public spaces, or under-resourced community support systems may be at play. While direct causes, the correlation between seasonal factors and violent crime rates is consistent with patterns observed in similar urban centres during winter months.

December 2024 saw a 63.6% increase in anti-social behaviour incidents, rising from 11 to 18. This surge, coupled with a 60% rise in 'other crime' (from 5 to 8), highlights a troubling escalation in non-violent but disruptive offences. Possession of weapons offences doubled from 1 to 2, a 100% increase that may signal heightened tensions in public spaces. While shoplifting fell by 42.9% (from 21 to 12), this decline contrasts sharply with the 70% increase in criminal damage and arson, which rose from 18 to 13. The violent crime category—accounting for 51.1% of all incidents—remains 142% above the UK average, with a rate of 6.2 per 1,000 residents. This is particularly concerning given that Carmarthen's violent crime rate is 2.6 per 1,000 in the UK, illustrating a stark local disparity. Residents should be aware that public order offences, which rose 22.7% (from 22 to 17), are 144% above the UK average. These trends suggest that while some crime types are declining, others are worsening, necessitating targeted interventions in high-risk areas.

Carmarthen's December 2024 crime rate of 12.2 per 1,000 residents represents a 7.0% decrease from the previous month's rate of 13.1 per 1,000. However, this monthly decline does not mitigate the area's persistent divergence from UK norms. On a daily basis, Carmarthen recorded approximately 6 crimes per day in December—equivalent to one crime every 82 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure rate, while lower than the previous month's figure, remains significantly higher than the UK average. The population-scaled perspective reveals that Carmarthen's crime profile is impacted by violent and public order offences. For instance, while the UK average for public order offences is 0.5 per 1,000, Carmarthen's rate of 1.1 per 1,000 reflects a 144% excess. This disparity underscores the need for localized strategies to address the unique challenges of the built-up area. The previous month's rate, though slightly lower, still placed Carmarthen well above national benchmarks, indicating that the area's crime profile is not a temporary anomaly but a sustained issue requiring ongoing attention.