Crime in Holywood
Recorded crime in Holywood is 1.2 times the Ards and North Down average and 0.5 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 21%. 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 Holywood: about 8,419 residents in 22 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 7.3/10Good
- 5-year change
- −21%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.2×the Ards and North Down average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Holywood.
Crime over 5 years
Down 21% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Holywood, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.2× the Ards and North Down average (0.5× the England and Wales average). 43 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 63% of the harm here
- Burglary: 14% of the harm here
- Other theft: 8% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 63% 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: 31 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 | 0.1 |
| Burglary | 2.6 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 17.8 |
| Drugs | 2.6 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.3 |
| Other crime | 1.1 |
| Other theft | 6.5 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.0 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 1.4 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 8.3 |
| Public order | 0.3 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.1 |
| Shoplifting | 2.1 |
Postcode districts in Holywood
Nearby towns
Council: Ards and North Down
Questions about crime in Holywood
- Is Holywood a safe place to live?
- Holywood scores 7 out of 10 for safety (low crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.2 times the Ards and North Down average.
- Is crime going up or down in Holywood?
- Down 21% over 5 years, from 365 recorded crimes a year to 290.
- What is the most common crime in Holywood?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 18 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Holywood compare with Ards and North Down?
- Crime severity in Holywood is 1.2 times the Ards and North Down average.