Crime and Safety in Garw Valley
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Garw Valley is among the top 5 safest small towns in the preserved county of Mid Glamorgan, and is among the top 20 safest overall out of Mid Glamorgan's 68 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Garw Valley in 2026 is 52 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Mid Glamorgan's overall crime rate, coming in 26% lower than the Mid Glamorgan rate of 70 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Garw Valley is the 286th safest small town, and the 3,542nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In August 2020, Garw Valley had the worst crime rate in Mid Glamorgan for public order, with 21 crimes reported and a crime rate of 2.7 per 1,000 daytime population. And in April 2026, Garw Valley was the worst small town in Mid Glamorgan for possession of weapons, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.38 per 1,000 daytime population. February 2025 was also a bad month for Garw Valley residents, when it was Mid Glamorgan's most dangerous small town for theft from the person, recording 1 crime at a rate of 0.13 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in Garw Valley are violence and sexual offences, with 250 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 31. This is 6% lower than 2025's figure of 265 offences and a difference of 1.88 from 2025's crime rate of 33. Garw Valley's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 1 offence recorded in 2026.
Garw Valley 2026 Crime Scorecard
Top 5 Safest
Small Towns, Mid Glamorgan
16% lower, regional crime rate
Wales
28% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Garw Valley is 16% lower than Wales and 28% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Garw Valley Crime Rate Over Time
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| Wales | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Garw Valley Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Garw Valley represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualise the data you need.
See How Garw Valley Compares
You can compare Garw Valley's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to Garw Valley's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Garw Valley up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Garw Valley's 199 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in Garw Valley? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
Garw Valley • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Garw Valley has a crime risk score of 562. This is based on analysis of 199 nearby areas within Garw Valley, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in Garw Valley's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Garw Valley, crime risk scores are typically around 562, while in Mid Glamorgan they are average 604.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 668 (672 for Mid Glamorgan), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 748 (Mid Glamorgan 722).
Trends in Crime Risk
Garw Valley
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
No trend could be found in Garw Valley's crime risk scores over the last 10 years, and the trend may well be static.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in Garw Valley's crime risk score is up by 0.51%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Over the last year, Garw Valley's crime risk score has shown a downward trend of approximately 16%, indicating that the risk profile is going down. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Garw Valley
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
Garw Valley • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Possession of Weapons offences have a crime rate of 0.51 reports per 1,000 people in Garw Valley, which is 3.92 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 4 crime reports logged by South Wales Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, South Wales Police recorded 2 reports of Theft From the Person in Garw Valley, resulting in a crime rate of 0.25 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 1.79.
The crime rate for Robbery is 1.30 times the national average at 0.13 reports per 1,000. This is from 1 crime report reported to South Wales Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Garw Valley
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Violence and Sexual Offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.18 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Violence and Sexual Offences CrimeRate Index was 1.01 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 17% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Garw Valley
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Criminal Damage and Arson offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.46 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Criminal Damage and Arson CrimeRate Index was 1.02 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 55% over this timeframe.
Shoplifting offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of - for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Shoplifting CrimeRate Index was 0.50 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a near-complete decrease over this timeframe.
Public Order offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 0.52 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Public Order CrimeRate Index was 1.59 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 67% over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Garw Valley • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Garw Valley | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 42 | 5.29 | 0.37 | 5,070 | 10.43 | 0.74 | 37,683 | 10.96 | 0.78 |
| Bicycle Theft | 1 | 0.13 | 2.17 | 73 | 0.16 | 0.22 | 1,599 | 0.46 | 0.63 |
| Burglary | 7 | 0.90 | 0.58 | 890 | 1.85 | 0.59 | 6,704 | 1.94 | 0.62 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 39 | 4.90 | 0.84 | 3,054 | 6.30 | 1.00 | 21,045 | 6.12 | 0.97 |
| Drugs | 6 | 0.77 | 0.61 | 1,068 | 2.20 | 0.71 | 7,344 | 2.14 | 0.69 |
| Other Crime | 13 | 1.66 | 1.19 | 1,101 | 2.28 | 1.23 | 6,008 | 1.76 | 0.95 |
| Other Theft | 23 | 2.89 | 0.68 | 1,799 | 3.70 | 0.65 | 13,307 | 3.88 | 0.68 |
| Possession of Weapons | 4 | 0.51 | 3.92 | 318 | 0.65 | 0.76 | 2,296 | 0.68 | 0.80 |
| Public Order | 53 | 6.66 | 1.15 | 4,474 | 9.20 | 1.59 | 23,747 | 6.91 | 1.19 |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.13 | 1.30 | 190 | 0.39 | 0.33 | 1,461 | 0.43 | 0.36 |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.90 | 0.31 | 2,497 | 5.15 | 0.72 | 19,180 | 5.58 | 0.78 |
| Theft From the Person | 2 | 0.25 | 1.79 | 156 | 0.32 | 0.21 | 1,019 | 0.28 | 0.18 |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 0.78 | 0.36 | 1,448 | 2.98 | 0.69 | 8,617 | 2.52 | 0.59 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 250 | 31.39 | 1.03 | 16,776 | 34.54 | 1.14 | 99,099 | 28.83 | 0.95 |
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Total Crime by Year
Garw Valley | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 412 | 51.87 | 0.93 | 33,844 | 69.72 | 0.97 | 211,426 | 61.53 | 0.85 |
| 2025 | 475 | 60.24 | 1.00 | 33,650 | 69.56 | 0.94 | 257,229 | 75.28 | 1.02 |
| 2024 | 537 | 68.35 | 1.08 | 35,739 | 74.23 | 0.98 | 238,672 | 70.43 | 0.93 |
| 2023 | 475 | 60.79 | 0.94 | 32,332 | 67.70 | 0.86 | 255,615 | 75.95 | 0.96 |
| 2022 | 381 | 48.98 | 0.79 | 32,269 | 68.35 | 0.89 | 245,565 | 73.85 | 0.96 |
| 2021 | 470 | 60.48 | 1.06 | 30,235 | 64.31 | 0.94 | 217,266 | 65.68 | 0.96 |
| 2020 | 476 | 61.86 | 1.07 | 32,843 | 70.14 | 0.95 | 237,502 | 72.15 | 0.97 |
| 2019 | 492 | 64.27 | 0.98 | 33,809 | 72.53 | 0.95 | 244,905 | 74.66 | 0.98 |
| 2018 | 404 | 52.74 | 0.91 | 31,183 | 67.04 | 0.94 | 218,341 | 66.57 | 0.94 |
| 2017 | 393 | 50.74 | 0.98 | 30,274 | 65.34 | 1.02 | 199,059 | 60.80 | 0.95 |
| 2016 | 120 | 15.44 | 1.00 | 9,353 | 20.22 | 1.06 | 61,849 | 18.94 | 0.99 |
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Garw Valley Compared to Nearby Small Towns
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| Small Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberaman | 412 | 74.88 | 44% more dangerous |
| Maesteg | 1,496 | 86.30 | 66% more dangerous |
| Cornelly | 532 | 71.53 | 38% more dangerous |
| Aberdare | 2,026 | 81.05 | 56% more dangerous |
| Llanharan | 763 | 70.65 | 36% more dangerous |
| Pyle | 518 | 67.37 | 30% more dangerous |
| Treorchy | 536 | 67.41 | 30% more dangerous |
| Ogmore Valley | 432 | 53.58 | 3.3% more dangerous |
| Tonyrefail | 937 | 64.73 | 25% more dangerous |
| Llantrisant | 1,025 | 64.76 | 25% more dangerous |
| Porthcawl | 1,074 | 64.13 | 24% more dangerous |
| Garw Valley | 412 | 51.87 | - |
| Brackla | 630 | 55.52 | 7% more dangerous |
| Coity Higher | 645 | 51.66 | 0.40% safer |
| Pencoed | 449 | 41.97 | 19% safer |
| Laleston | 482 | 36.62 | 29% safer |
| Llantwit Fardre | 541 | 32.46 | 37% safer |
| Pont-y-clun | 230 | 26.89 | 48% safer |
Comparing Garw Valley to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Garw Valley | 51.87 | - |
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 53% more dangerous |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 59% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 62% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 89% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 102% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 103% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 105% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 106% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 108% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 141% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
To download charts and tables, you must subscribed to CrimeRate Pro
You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around Garw Valley's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Garw Valley that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parc Calon Lan | 5 | - | 3 | - | 13 | 8 |
Recent Crimes in Garw Valley
The 20 most recent crime reports in Garw Valley.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Anti-social behaviour | On or near Victoria Street | |
| April 2026 | Bicycle theft | On or near Mountain Close | |
| April 2026 | Drugs | On or near Albany Road | |
| April 2026 | Drugs | On or near Tymeinwr Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Possession of weapons | On or near James' Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Forest View | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near James' Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near The Croft | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Heol Y Felin | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Petrol Station | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Clos Celyn | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near High Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Waungron | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Waungron | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Meadow Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Waungron | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near The Strand | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Church Street | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Tymeinwr Avenue | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Clos Celyn |
Methodology & Data Sources
Garw Valley Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in Garw Valley during July 2026 will typically become available in September 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
Garw Valley Data Points
For Garw Valley, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2023 release of their Parishes and Non Civil Parished Areas dataset, using the PARNCP23CD column value W04000636.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses Garw Valley's daytime - or "workday" - population of 6,170 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in Garw Valley