Caernarfon Crime Rate December 2025 | Monthly Statistics

The crime profile of Caernarfon in December 2025 reveals a stark imbalance, with violent crimes and anti-social behaviour dominating the local landscape. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 44.4% of all reported crimes, a figure that is 98% above the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000. This category’s prevalence is consistent with the area’s character as a historic town with a compact built-up area, where dense residential and commercial zones may heighten tensions during the holiday season. Anti-social behaviour followed closely, contributing 18.8% of total crimes and 137% above the UK average. This spike may be partly explained by the seasonal context: December’s dark evenings, the closure of businesses, and the influx of tourists and visitors who may contribute to overcrowding in public spaces. Criminal damage and arson, at 12% of total crimes, were 169% above the UK average, a figure that may reflect the vulnerability of historic buildings to vandalism or the challenges of maintaining public spaces during periods of reduced local oversight. The overall crime rate of 11.6 per 1,000 residents places the area 65.7% above the UK average, a disparity that likely reflects both the unique demographics of the built-up area and the pressures of the holiday season. While shoplifting and public order offences showed declines, the dominance of violent and anti-social crimes suggests that local policing strategies may need to focus on addressing the root causes of these issues, such as the interplay between transient populations and the town’s historical and cultural assets.

December 2025 saw a 13% increase in violence and sexual offences, bringing the category to 52 incidents (44.4% of total crimes). This rise aligns with the season’s dark evenings and heightened social activity in the town’s historic centre, a known tourist and retail hub. Anti-social behaviour rose by 22.2%, reaching 22 incidents, a figure 137% above the UK average. This spike may reflect the pressures of holiday crowds and the closure of local businesses over Christmas, which can concentrate activity in certain areas. In contrast, vehicle crime plummeted by 71.4%, from seven to two incidents, likely due to fewer vehicles parked in residential areas during the holiday season. Shoplifting also dropped sharply by 57.9%, from 19 to eight incidents, potentially linked to reduced retail hours and heightened police presence in shopping areas. Other theft remained near the UK average, with only a 4% deficit, suggesting that while some crime categories are declining, others remain high in this built-up area of Gwynedd.

The crime rate in Caernarfon for December 2025 stood at 11.6 per 1,000 residents, an 18.7% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 14.2 per 1,000. This decline, though notable, still leaves the area 65.7% above the UK average. Over the course of December, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 86 residents—a stark monthly aggregate that underscores the persistent pressure on local policing resources. On a daily basis, the area saw an average of four crimes reported each day, a figure that, while lower than the prior month, remains elevated in comparison to national benchmarks. The population-scaled perspective reveals that residents face a higher-than-average risk of encountering crime, particularly in the violent and anti-social categories, which dominate the local crime profile. While the reduction in vehicle crime (down 71.4%) and shoplifting (down 57.9%) may reflect seasonal patterns—such as fewer vehicles on the road during holidays and reduced retail activity—it does not mitigate the significant imbalance in crime types that continue to define the area’s monthly statistics.