Criccieth Crime Rate

Criccieth is a safe and tranquil coastal settlement, evidenced by its high safety score of 84/100. With an overall crime rate of 66.8 per 1,000 residents, it remains significantly more secure than the UK national average of 93.1. While the area has seen a slight 7.5% increase in crime year-over-year, the total volume of offences remains low. Property crime, in particular, is well below national benchmarks, offering peace of mind to homeowners and local businesses. The following analysis explores the specific types of crime prevalent in Criccieth, their seasonal trends, and temporal patterns, providing a comprehensive overview of the local safety landscape for residents and visitors alike.

Crime Breakdown in Criccieth

Criccieth's crime profile is primarily focused on personal and social order offences. Violence and sexual offences are the most frequently reported, representing 42.1% of the total crime. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common at 20.2%, followed by shoplifting at 9.7%. These categories highlight that most police activity in this coastal settlement is related to public conduct and retail-related theft.

Property crime in Criccieth—which includes burglary, theft, vehicle crime, and criminal damage—occurs at a rate of 17.0 per 1,000 residents. This is nearly half the UK national average of 32.9, making Criccieth a statistically safe place for homeowners. Burglary is quite rare, accounting for only 1.8% of total crime, while other theft makes up 8.8%. Criminal damage and arson are also relatively low at 5.3%.

For residents and business owners, these figures suggest a secure environment where major property threats are infrequent. However, the prevalence of violence and shoplifting indicates that personal awareness and retail security remain important components of the local safety strategy.

Crime Trends in Criccieth

Criccieth has experienced a 7.5% year-over-year increase in total recorded crime. While this is a relatively modest rise, it indicates a slight shift in the local security environment over the past twelve months. The monthly trend data shows that crime intensity peaked in the spring of 2025. April was the most active month with a rate of 10.6 per 1,000 residents, followed by March at 8.8 and May at 8.2.

Following this spring peak, there was a dramatic reduction in June 2025, when the rate plummeted to just 1.2 per 1,000—the lowest in the recorded period. The rate then fluctuated through the summer and autumn, with another peak in August (8.2) before settling at 3.5 for September and October. This pattern suggests that crime in Criccieth may be influenced by seasonal factors or specific local events. For residents, the data shows that while crime remains low overall, vigilance is particularly important during the busier spring and summer months.

How To Keep Safe in Criccieth

Violence and sexual offences are the most common reports in Criccieth, making up over 42% of total crime. While the overall volume is low, personal safety remains a priority for the community.

1. Be Aware in Public Spaces: When enjoying the coastal paths or town centre, especially during peak visitor seasons, stay aware of your surroundings. Avoid isolated areas after dark.
2. Retail Vigilance: For business owners, shoplifting is a top-three crime. Implement clear sightlines, use mirrors, and consider AI-assisted monitoring to deter opportunistic theft during busy hours.
3. Secure Your Belongings: With 'other theft' being a significant category, never leave bags, phones, or wallets unattended in public places or unlocked vehicles.
4. Walk in Groups at Night: If you are out during the evening or night, walk with friends or family. Most personal offences are less likely to occur when people are in groups.
5. Install Motion Lighting: To deter anti-social behaviour and burglary (which peaks at night), ensure your home's exterior is well-lit with motion-sensing lights.

Crime in Criccieth shows a distinct split between daytime and night-time patterns. During the morning and afternoon, theft is the predominant issue, accounting for a high 69% of all reported crimes in both periods. This suggests that retail and opportunistic theft are most active when the town is busy with residents and visitors. As the day moves into the evening and night, the crime profile shifts. Theft drops to 37% in the evening and 26% at night. In its place, 'other' crimes—including violence and anti-social behaviour—rise to 47% of reports. Crucially, burglary risk also increases with the darkness, rising from 8% in the morning to 27% during the night-time hours (12am-6am). This indicates that while daytime theft is a frequent nuisance, the night-time presents a more serious threat to property security. Residents should focus on personal item security during the day and robust home protection overnight.

In the local Gwynedd context, Criccieth is positioned as a safe middle-ground settlement. It is considerably more secure than the nearby hub of Porthmadog, which has a crime rate of 106.0 per 1,000. However, it is more active than the exceptionally quiet neighbouring areas of Morfa Bychan, Tremadog, and Hafan y Mor, all of which reported zero crimes in the recent period. For residents, Criccieth offers the benefits of a bustling coastal town with a safety profile that is far superior to larger urban centres, making it one of the more attractive residential options in the region.

Criccieth’s property crime rate of 17.0 per 1,000 residents is roughly half the UK average, reflecting a secure environment for homeowners. However, with shoplifting and other theft making up a combined 18.5% of local crime, opportunistic theft is the primary property-related concern. Traditional security systems like Ring or Nest are reactive; they notify you after someone has already taken a parcel or entered your property, providing little more than a recording of the event.

To truly protect a home in Criccieth, a proactive approach is superior. scOS is an AI-powered home security operating system that prevents crime before it happens. By monitoring multiple cameras simultaneously with intelligent detection, scOS identifies threats at the property boundary. If an unauthorized person enters your driveway at night—when 27% of Criccieth's crimes are burglaries—scOS can autonomously engage lights and speakers to deter them instantly. This proactive intervention destroys the element of surprise and makes your home an unappealing target. In a safe area like Criccieth, professional-grade AI protection ensures that you stay ahead of local trends and keep your property truly secure.