Crime in Belfast
Recorded crime in Belfast is 1.1 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 5%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
352,388 residents in 735 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 3/10Above average crime
- Safety in the world
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 7.8/10Good
- 5-year change
- −5%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 5% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Belfast, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the England and Wales average. 89 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 61% of the harm here
- Burglary: 12% of the harm here
- Drugs: 9% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 61% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 46 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 | 0.8 |
| Burglary | 4.4 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 35.9 |
| Drugs | 6.9 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 1.1 |
| Other crime | 2.0 |
| Other theft | 11.1 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.6 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 3.2 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 14.0 |
| Public order | 1.0 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.3 |
| Shoplifting | 7.1 |
What crimes are recorded in Belfast
Detailed crime types are published for England and Wales only. The Police Service of Northern Ireland publishes its own figures in a different form.
Towns and cities in Belfast
Postcode districts in Belfast
Questions about crime in Belfast
- Is Belfast a safe place to live?
- Belfast scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Belfast?
- Down 5% over 5 years, from 32,836 recorded crimes a year to 31,208.
- What is the most common crime in Belfast?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 36 per 1,000 residents a year.