Gwynedd Crime Rate January 2026 | Monthly Statistics

Gwynedd’s crime profile in January 2026 reveals a distinct emphasis on violent and disorderly offences, with violence and sexual offences accounting for 40.3% of all reported crimes. This concentration of violent crime, which sits 15% above the UK average, contrasts sharply with the area’s significantly lower rates of vehicle crime (73% below the national average) and burglary (64% below). The seasonal context of January—a post-holiday period marked by shorter days and reduced retail activity—may have contributed to this pattern. For instance, shoplifting, which typically peaks during the holiday season, fell to 0.6 per 1,000, slightly above the UK average but well below the levels seen in December. Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage both exceeded UK averages by 32% and 28%, respectively, suggesting that community tensions or environmental factors may be playing a role. The overall crime rate of 6.9 per 1,000 places Gwynedd 4.5% above the UK average, a figure that, while not extreme, highlights the need for targeted interventions in high-risk categories. The area’s geographic diversity—spanning rural landscapes and coastal communities—likely shapes these trends, as rural regions often report higher rates of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage due to fewer policing resources and greater spatial dispersion. However, the absence of significant increases in property crimes like burglary or vehicle crime indicates that the area’s crime profile is not uniformly high, with certain categories remaining safer than the national average.

January 2026 saw sharp increases in robbery (+133.3%), bicycle theft (+100%), and drugs-related crimes (+94.1%), while burglary and possession of weapons both fell by 33.3%. These shifts suggest a notable reallocation of criminal activity, with property crimes declining and violent and drug-related offences rising. The 15% gap between Gwynedd’s violent crime rate (2.8 per 1,000) and the UK average (2.4 per 1,000) is particularly striking, especially as anti-social behaviour also outpaced the national rate by 32%. This imbalance may be influenced by seasonal factors, such as the post-holiday lull in retail activity, which could reduce opportunities for shoplifting but increase interpersonal conflicts in community spaces. Conversely, vehicle crime in Gwynedd (0.1 per 1,000) was 73% below the UK average, a statistic that could be attributed to the area’s lower population density and fewer urban centres, which typically drive such offences. These findings offer a nuanced picture of how crime evolves across different categories, even within a single month.

Gwynedd's crime rate in January 2026 rose 17.8% compared to December 2025, climbing from 5.9 to 6.9 per 1,000 residents. This increase, though modest in absolute terms, reflects a shift in crime patterns. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 27 crimes per day, a figure that translates to one reported crime for every 145 residents over the course of the month. This monthly exposure rate, while not extreme, underscores the persistent presence of crime in the community. The population-scaled perspective reveals that Gwynedd's crime rate remains 4.5% above the UK average, but the distribution of crime types diverges notably. For instance, violent crimes in Gwynedd are 15% above the UK average, a contrast to vehicle crime, which is 73% below the national figure. This divergence may reflect the area’s geographic and demographic characteristics, such as its mix of rural and coastal environments, which could influence the types of crimes that occur. The comparison highlights the importance of contextualizing crime rates within local conditions rather than relying solely on aggregate statistics.