Monmouthshire Crime Rate

Introduction to Crime in Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire presents a crime rate of 70.3 per 1,000 people per year, placing it notably safer than the UK average of 93.4 per 1,000. The area boasts a strong safety score of 84 out of 100, significantly above the national average of 78. This positive outlook is further reinforced by a decreasing trend in overall crime, with a year-over-year reduction of 11.0%. These figures provide a reassuring context for residents and potential newcomers, indicating a generally secure environment within the county.

About Monmouthshire and its Crime Statistics

Monmouthshire is a predominantly rural county in South East Wales, characterised by its picturesque market towns, villages, and significant agricultural land. Its geography, with less dense urbanisation compared to some neighbouring local authorities, naturally contributes to a generally lower overall crime rate. The presence of historic sites and natural beauty also attracts tourism, which, while boosting the local economy, can sometimes lead to minor opportunistic crimes, though this is not a dominant factor.

The county benefits from a strong sense of community in many of its smaller settlements, which often acts as a deterrent to certain types of crime. Key transport links, such as the A40 and sections of the M4, traverse the county, facilitating connectivity but also potentially creating transient populations in certain areas. However, the overall demographic of a largely settled, residential population, combined with a focus on local businesses and a less prominent nightlife scene than major cities, helps maintain a lower crime profile, particularly in categories like anti-social behaviour and public order offences compared to more urbanised regions.

Crime Type Analysis in Monmouthshire

An examination of crime types in Monmouthshire reveals that Violence and sexual offences constitute the most prevalent category, accounting for 34.8% of all reported crimes with 2,323 incidents (24.5 per 1,000 residents). This is followed by Anti-social behaviour at 17.7% (1,179 incidents, 12.4 per 1,000) and Public order offences at 10.1% (676 incidents, 7.1 per 1,000). While these categories represent the highest volumes, it's important to consider property-related crime, which includes burglary, theft from person, criminal damage and arson, bicycle theft, vehicle crime, other theft, and shoplifting. The total property crime rate in Monmouthshire stands at 22.2 per 1,000 people, which is lower than the national average of 33.2 per 1,000. For residents and homeowners, this suggests a comparatively lower risk of offences directly impacting personal property, although vigilance remains essential, particularly regarding opportunistic crimes.

Crime Trends in Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire has experienced a positive shift in its crime landscape, with a notable year-over-year decrease of 11.0% in overall crime. Analysing the monthly trend data reveals some fluctuations, but a general downward trajectory is apparent. For instance, after a slight increase in November 2024 (6.6 per 1,000) from October (6.4 per 1,000), rates consistently dropped to a low of 5.4 per 1,000 in January 2025. While there was a peak in July 2025 at 7.8 per 1,000, the overall picture suggests an improving safety situation. This decreasing trend is encouraging for residents, indicating that the area is becoming safer over time. Continued efforts in community safety initiatives and policing are likely contributing to this positive development.

Crime Comparison with Nearby Areas

To provide a broader perspective, it is useful to compare Monmouthshire's crime statistics with those of its neighbouring areas. Monmouthshire's overall crime rate of 70.3 per 1,000 residents is lower than some of its urbanised neighbours. For example, areas such as Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Newport, and Caerphilly, which are generally more densely populated, typically present higher crime rates. In contrast, rural areas like the Forest of Dean might exhibit different crime profiles. Merthyr Tydfil, another nearby local authority, also contributes to the regional context. This comparison highlights Monmouthshire's relatively strong safety performance within the broader region, reinforcing its position as a comparatively safer place to live.

Protecting Your Property in Monmouthshire

Given Monmouthshire's property crime rate of 22.2 per 1,000, which is below the national average, it's still prudent for residents to consider robust home security measures. Traditional security often focuses on recording incidents after they've happened, offering footage of a burglary rather than preventing it. For true peace of mind, consider moving beyond reactive recording to proactive protection.

Advanced AI-powered home security operating systems like scOS offer a different approach. These systems are designed to detect threats at the property boundary, before an intruder even has a chance to break in. Utilising multi-camera intelligence, scOS watches all cameras simultaneously, ensuring nothing is missed. Features such as DVLA vehicle verification can instantly identify suspicious vehicles, while pattern learning helps the system recognise your routines, family, and deliveries, only alerting you to genuine threats. In the event of an detected threat, autonomous responses like activating lights and engaging speakers can destroy the element of surprise, often causing intruders to move on. Most burglars decide within 60 seconds whether to proceed; a visible and proactive deterrence system like scOS can make that decision easy for them – they move on.