Carmarthen Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Carmarthen's crime rate in May 2025 stood at 13.3 per 1,000 residents, placing it 64.2% above the UK average of 8.1 per 1,000. This stark divergence from national trends highlights a distinct local pattern, with violent crimes accounting for nearly 40% of all incidents. The most common offences were violence and sexual offences (39.4% of total crimes), followed by anti-social behaviour (14.3%) and shoplifting (12.8%). These figures suggest a concentration of incidents in public spaces, likely influenced by Carmarthen's role as a regional hub with a mix of retail, cultural, and social activity. The seasonal context of May—marked by longer evenings, bank holidays, and increased outdoor socialising—may have contributed to heightened visibility of certain crimes, particularly those linked to alcohol-fuelled interactions or opportunistic theft. While property crimes (65 total) remained a concern, the disproportionate rise in violent offences compared to the UK average indicates a need for targeted interventions in high-risk areas. The breakdown of crimes aligns with patterns seen in other urban centres where nightlife and public transport networks create environments conducive to anti-social behaviour and personal violence.

May 2025 saw a dramatic 225% increase in shoplifting, with 26 incidents reported compared to just 8 in April. This surge may reflect seasonal retail activity, including end-of-season sales or events drawing transient populations to local stores. Concurrently, possession of weapons rose by 100%, doubling from 1 to 2 incidents—a small but notable shift that could signal heightened tensions or unmet demand for illicit items. In contrast, public order offences fell by 46.2%, from 26 to 14, due to reduced foot traffic during bank holidays or improved policing in key areas. Violence and sexual offences remained 84% above the UK average, with 80 incidents recorded. This disparity underscores Carmarthen's unique challenges compared to the national average, where such crimes account for only 2.8 per 1,000 residents. The sharp contrast in shoplifting rates—1.7 per 1,000 in Carmarthen versus 0.7 per 1,000 nationally—suggests a need for enhanced retail security measures or community engagement strategies to address the root causes of this spike.

Carmarthen's crime rate in May 2025 (13.3 per 1,000) marked a 5.1% decrease from April's 14.0 per 1,000, indicating a slight but notable improvement in overall safety. On a daily basis, the area experienced approximately 7 crimes per day—equivalent to one incident for every 75 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure rate provides a tangible benchmark for residents, illustrating that each individual in Carmarthen faces a 1-in-75 chance of being directly affected by a reported crime. When scaled to the local population of 15,295, these figures highlight the uneven distribution of risk: while the overall rate remains elevated, the reduction from April suggests potential effectiveness in recent policing strategies or seasonal shifts in criminal activity. The comparison to the UK average further contextualises these numbers, with Carmarthen's violent crime rate (5.2 per 1,000) being 84% higher than the national average. This disparity may reflect the town's demographic profile as a regional centre with a mix of transient and permanent residents, where social interactions in public spaces create conditions conducive to certain types of crime.