Vale of Glamorgan Crime Rate February 2023 | Monthly Statistics

February 2023 marked a continuation of Vale of Glamorgan's position as a relatively low-crime area, with an overall rate of 5.9 crimes per 1,000 residents—14.5% below the UK average. The most significant outlier in the breakdown was criminal damage and arson, which occurred at 0.8 per 1,000 residents, 43% above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. This contrasted sharply with other categories like drugs and possession of weapons, which were entirely absent in the area compared to the UK's 0.2 and 0.1 per 1,000 respectively. Violence and sexual offences remained the most common crime type, accounting for 35% of total incidents, though they were 15% below the UK average. Anti-social behaviour followed closely at 16.1%, also below the national rate. The seasonal context of February—a winter month with reduced outdoor activity and a pre-spring lull—may have contributed to lower overall crime levels, though the spike in criminal damage and arson suggests localized factors such as vandalism or disputes over property. The area's mix of urban and rural characteristics likely influences these patterns, with retail and public spaces potentially driving anti-social behaviour while isolated areas may see higher incidents of property damage. This data illustrates a combination of geographic and seasonal factors, with the Vale of Glamorgan maintaining a generally safer profile than the UK average despite specific categories showing marked deviations.

The breakdown of crime types reveals significant variations against UK averages. Violence and sexual offences, at 35% of total crimes, were 15% below the UK rate, suggesting a lower incidence of violent crime in the area. Conversely, criminal damage and arson (13.1% of total crimes) were 43% above the UK average, a stark contrast to other categories like drugs and possession of weapons, which were 100% below the national rate. This divergence highlights a unique pattern where property-related crimes are overrepresented compared to violent or drug-related offences. For residents, the 43% spike in criminal damage and arson may indicate localized issues such as vandalism in public spaces or targeted attacks on infrastructure. The balance between property and violent crimes also shifted slightly, with property crimes (47.7%) making up a larger share than violent crimes (35%)—a trend consistent with the area's seasonal context of reduced outdoor activity and pre-spring lull.

In February 2023, Vale of Glamorgan recorded 795 total crimes over 28 days, averaging 28 crimes per day. This equates to one reported crime for every 171 residents over the course of the month. While daily crime figures are context-specific to the area, they provide a tangible sense of frequency for local residents. The monthly exposure rate of 1-in-171 is lower than many comparable UK regions, reflecting the area's overall crime rate being 14.5% below the UK average. This statistic aligns with the Vale of Glamorgan's broader pattern of relatively low crime levels compared to national benchmarks, though specific categories like criminal damage and arson show marked deviations. The population-scaled perspective—795 crimes across 135,743 residents—highlights the rarity of incidents in daily life, even as certain crime types remain represented. This balance between overall safety and localized spikes underscores the complexity of crime distribution in the area.