Belfast crime figures for August 2026: year sees rise in offences
Police recorded 2,921 crimes in Belfast in August 2026, up from 2,573 in August 2025. Over the year to August 2026, recorded crime rose 1% compared with the previous 12 months, with robbery and weapons offences showing the largest increases.
By Rafael Cardoso · · police.uk figures for August 2026
Over the 12 months to August 2026, police recorded 31,206 crimes in Belfast, compared with 30,987 in the 12 months to August 2025, a rise of 1%. Single-month figures can vary considerably, so the 12-month comparison gives a steadier picture of change.
In August 2026 alone, police recorded 2,921 crimes, compared with 2,573 in August 2025, a rise of 14%. This is equivalent to 8.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in August 2026.
Among the crime types that rose over the year, robbery rose 29%, from 266 to 344. Possession of weapons, including knives and other weapons, rose 27%, from 423 to 538. Shoplifting rose 14%, from 3,131 to 3,561.
Among the crime types that fell, bicycle theft fell 33%, from 383 to 256. Theft from the person, covering pickpocketing and bag snatching, fell 19%, from 193 to 157. Burglary fell 10%, from 954 to 858.
For context, recorded crime across England and Wales was unchanged in the equivalent month and fell 1% over the equivalent 12-month period.
The figures
| Crimes in August 2026 | 2,921 (up 14% on August 2025, 2,573) |
|---|---|
| Per 1,000 residents | 8.3 in the month, 352,388 residents |
| September 2025 to August 2026 | 31,206 crimes, up 1% on the 12 months before (30,987) |
| Rose most | Robbery up 29% (344), Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) up 27% (538), Shoplifting up 14% (3,561) |
| Fell most | Bicycle theft down 33% (256), Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) down 19% (157), Burglary down 10% (858) |
| England and Wales | down 1% over the same 12 months |
Crimes recorded by the police and published on police.uk, counted where they happened and summed for Belfast. Figures for a single month move a lot; the 12-month change is the steadier guide. This report is written automatically from these figures, and every number in it is checked against them before it is published. How the figures are counted.
Crime in Belfast by neighbourhood · Belfast council area · All monthly reports
