Barry (Vale of Glamorgan) Crime Rate

Barry (Vale of Glamorgan) Crime Overview

Barry (Vale of Glamorgan) presents a complex safety profile with an overall crime rate of 99.3 per 1,000 residents. This figure sits slightly above the UK average of 91.6, reflecting its status as a significant urban and commercial centre. Despite the higher volume of reported incidents, the area maintains a robust safety score of 77/100, which is just shy of the UK average of 79/100. This suggests that while crime is present, the environment remains relatively secure for most residents. The recent trend direction is classified as stable, with a modest 3.9% year-over-year decrease in total offences. This stability provides a predictable context for local safety, indicating that Barry is not experiencing the volatile crime spikes seen in some other Welsh urban areas.

Crime Breakdown in Barry (Vale of Glamorgan)

The crime landscape in Barry is primarily defined by violence and sexual offences, which account for 37.5% of all reported incidents, with a rate of 37.3 per 1,000 residents. This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 12.6% and shoplifting at 11.6%. These three categories represent the most frequent challenges for local law enforcement and the community.

Property crime in Barry—which includes burglary, vehicle crime, theft, and criminal damage—maintains a rate of 32.2 per 1,000 people per year. This figure is exactly in line with the UK average for property-related offences. Within this category, criminal damage and arson are notable, occurring at a rate of 8.3 per 1,000. Vehicle crime follows at 4.6 per 1,000, while burglary remains relatively low at 1.9 per 1,000. For residents, this means that while the risk of violent crime is more prominent, property security remains a standard concern that aligns with broader national trends. Homeowners should remain vigilant regarding vehicle safety and general theft, which combined represent a significant portion of the local crime volume.

Crime Trends in Barry

The crime trend in Barry is currently characterised as stable, with a year-over-year decrease of 3.9%. This marginal decline suggests that while crime levels are not falling rapidly, they are also not increasing, providing a level of predictability for the local community. Analysis of the monthly data from 2025 shows that crime rates fluctuated between a high of 9.3 per 1,000 in March and a low of 6.7 per 1,000 in December.

The early part of the year saw slightly higher activity, with March and April both recording rates around 9.0. However, the end of the year showed a notable improvement, with December marking the safest month in the period. This downward movement toward the end of 2025 is a positive indicator for the coming year. For residents, this stability means that long-term safety planning is viable, and the area is not currently a hotspot for rapid criminal escalation.

How To Keep Safe in Barry (Vale of Glamorgan)

Violence and sexual offences are the most frequently recorded crime type in Barry, accounting for over 37% of all incidents. While many of these reports may stem from nightlife areas or domestic settings, maintaining personal safety in public spaces is essential.

To stay safe, always plan your routes in advance and stick to well-lit, populated pedestrian paths, especially when walking alone at night. Barry’s town centre and transport hubs can be busy; staying aware of your surroundings and avoiding the use of headphones in quiet areas can significantly increase your reaction time to potential threats. If you are visiting local pubs or clubs, stay with your group and use licensed taxi services for your journey home. Additionally, consider using personal safety apps that allow trusted contacts to track your journey. For residential safety, ensuring your home’s perimeter is well-lit can deter anti-social behaviour, which is the second most common issue in the area. Simple measures like joining a local Neighbourhood Watch can also provide valuable community-led intelligence on safety in your specific street.

Barry Time-Based Crime Patterns

The timing of criminal activity in Barry follows distinct cycles that correlate with the type of offence. During the morning hours (6am to 12pm), theft and shoplifting are the primary concerns, representing 38% of incidents as retail areas open. This trend intensifies in the afternoon (12pm to 6pm), where theft-related crimes reach 44%, likely driven by peak footfall in commercial zones.

As the day transitions into the evening (6pm to 12am), 'other' crimes—often including public order and anti-social behaviour—account for 57% of activity, coinciding with the evening economy and social gatherings. The night-time period (12am to 6am) sees a significant shift; while overall crime volume drops, vehicle crime surges to 42% of all incidents. This indicates that while public spaces may be quieter, residential streets and car parks become primary targets for opportunists during the early hours. Understanding these windows of high activity can help residents take more effective preventative measures.

Nearby Area Comparison

When examining the wider Vale of Glamorgan region, Barry serves as the primary urban hub, which is reflected in its higher crime rate of 99.3 per 1,000. In contrast, nearby Dinas Powis enjoys a much lower rate of 46.1, while Rhoose is even lower at 36.8 per 1,000. The most striking comparisons are found in Wenvoe and St Nicholas, both of which report a 0.0 crime rate, highlighting the stark difference between Barry's busy town environment and the surrounding rural villages. For those seeking a balance between urban amenities and safety, Barry remains the central focus, while the neighbouring settlements offer a much quieter, lower-crime alternative within the same local authority.

Proactive Security in Barry

With a property crime rate of 32.2 per 1,000 residents, homeowners in Barry face a standard level of risk regarding theft, vehicle crime, and criminal damage. Traditional security measures often rely on reactive recording—providing you with a video of a crime after it has already occurred. In an area where vehicle crime is particularly prevalent at night, this approach is often too late to prevent loss or damage.

The scOS operating system represents a shift toward proactive protection. By utilising AI-powered multi-camera intelligence, scOS identifies potential threats at your property boundary before a break-in or theft occurs. Instead of just notifying you of an event in progress, the system can autonomously engage deterrents such as high-intensity lighting and audio warnings. This immediate response destroys the element of surprise that most opportunists rely on. For Barry residents, especially those concerned about the 42% of vehicle crimes occurring overnight, the ability to verify vehicles via DVLA data and recognise familiar routines means that your security is always active, intelligent, and focused on prevention rather than just evidence collection.