Holyhead Crime Rate August 2023 | Monthly Statistics

In August 2023, Holyhead's crime rate of 10.9 per 1,000 residents placed it 34.6% above the UK average, reflecting a persistent challenge in maintaining public safety. The breakdown of crimes revealed a striking dominance of violent and anti-social behaviour, with violence and sexual offences accounting for 31.1% of all incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (28.0%) and shoplifting (12.9%). This stark contrast to the UK profile, where property crimes typically constitute a larger share, suggests unique local dynamics. Holyhead's coastal location and status as a tourist hub likely contribute to these patterns, with August—a peak holiday month—bringing increased foot traffic, overcrowding in public spaces, and a surge in transient populations. The high rate of anti-social behaviour (115% above UK average) and shoplifting (133% above) aligns with the seasonal influx of visitors, who may inadvertently exacerbate tensions or create opportunities for theft. However, the relative underrepresentation of burglary (71% below UK average) indicates that residential properties may be less targeted, due to the town's compact, built-up nature and the presence of short-term rental properties that remain occupied during the summer. This mix of factors—seasonal tourism, spatial density, and transient populations—illustrates a community where interpersonal and public order issues take precedence over traditional property crimes, requiring targeted strategies to address the root causes of these imbalances.

August 2023 saw dramatic fluctuations in specific crime categories, with 'other crime' surging by 400% (from 1 to 5 incidents) and 'theft from the person' doubling (from 0 to 2). These spikes, though small in absolute terms, underscore shifts in criminal activity that may reflect seasonal pressures, such as increased foot traffic during peak tourism. Conversely, 'other theft' fell by 72.7% (from 11 to 3) and 'burglary' dropped by 66.7% (from 3 to 1), suggesting a temporary reduction in property-related crimes. The balance between violent and property crimes remained skewed, with violence and sexual offences (41 incidents) slightly outpacing property crimes (38). This dominance of violent crime, which is 29% above the UK average, contrasts with the UK profile, where property crimes typically hold a larger share. Residents may find the 400% increase in 'other crime' particularly concerning, as it includes unclassified incidents that could range from disorder to more serious offences.

Holyhead's crime rate in August 2023 stood at 10.9 per 1,000 residents, an 11.4% decrease from July's 12.3 per 1,000. This decline suggests a short-term shift in criminal activity, though the rate remains significantly above the UK average. On average, four crimes were reported daily in August, highlighting the persistent need for vigilance. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 92 residents, a figure that contextualises the monthly exposure for Holyhead’s population of 12,151. While the overall rate has fallen, the distribution of crime types remains uneven: violent crimes and anti-social behaviour dominate, whereas burglary and other theft have seen notable declines. This contrast may reflect seasonal dynamics, with tourism and holiday activity influencing patterns of public order and interpersonal crime. The population-scaled perspective reveals that while the rate is high, it is not uniformly distributed across all crime categories, offering a nuanced view of local safety trends.