Crime in Belfast
Recorded crime in Belfast is 3.0 times the Belfast council average and 3.4 times the England and Wales average. It is about the same as 5 years ago. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Belfast: about 36,041 residents in 97 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 9.3/10Excellent
- 5-year change
- −1%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 3.0×the Belfast council average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Belfast.
Crime over 5 years
About the same as 5 years ago Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Belfast, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 3.0× the Belfast council average (3.4× the England and Wales average). 271 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 60% of the harm here
- Drugs: 11% of the harm here
- Burglary: 9% of the harm here
Anti-social behaviour: 139 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 3.5 |
| Burglary | 10.5 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 104.2 |
| Drugs | 26.6 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 3.5 |
| Other crime | 5.2 |
| Other theft | 29.3 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 3.8 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 9.2 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 36.0 |
| Public order | 2.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 6.4 |
| Shoplifting | 29.8 |
Postcode districts in Belfast
Nearby towns
Council: Belfast
Questions about crime in Belfast
- Is Belfast a safe place to live?
- Belfast scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 3.0 times the Belfast council average.
- Is crime going up or down in Belfast?
- About the same as 5 years ago: 10,502 recorded crimes a year then, 10,422 now.
- What is the most common crime in Belfast?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 104 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Belfast compare with Belfast council?
- Crime severity in Belfast is 3.0 times the Belfast council average.