Cape Town Central Precinct
About this data
These are raw crime counts from SAPS — not adjusted for population. Areas with more residents will naturally report more crimes. The most reliable indicator is the trend over time, which compares this area against its own history. Learn more
View 14 suburbs in this precinct
All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level.
Crime volume
Very High
relative to other WC precincts
Reported crimes
8,712
2025-2026 · 9 of 12 months
Year-on-year
↑ 4.9%
more crimes vs 2024-2025
(based on 3 of 4 quarters)
vs pre-COVID baseline
↑ 6.4%
above 2018-2019
What's changing?
Biggest year-on-year movements in crime categories
Theft from vehicle dropped significantly (-557) while Drug-related crime increased (+1326).
Crime trend by year
Hollow points with dashed lines indicate years with fewer than 4 quarters of data. These totals may be lower because not all quarters have been released by SAPS.
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug-related crime | 4,183 | 2,857 | +1326 |
| Theft from vehicle | 1,368 | 1,925 | -557 |
| Common robbery | 1,020 | 1,022 | -2 |
| Common assault | 488 | 517 | -29 |
| Aggravated robbery | 392 | 520 | -128 |
| Shoplifting | 240 | 323 | -83 |
| Malicious damage | 213 | 209 | +4 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 172 | 117 | +55 |
| Residential burglary | 158 | 285 | -127 |
| Vehicle theft | 117 | 134 | -17 |
| Serious assault | 85 | 99 | -14 |
| Business burglary | 72 | 117 | -45 |
| Crimen injuria | 60 | 44 | +16 |
| Rape | 48 | 48 | 0 |
| Sexual assault | 24 | 14 | +10 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 15 | 11 | +4 |
| Kidnapping | 12 | 9 | +3 |
| Carjacking | 9 | 14 | -5 |
| Attempted murder | 8 | 7 | +1 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 6 | 7 | -1 |
| Contact sexual offences | 5 | 1 | +4 |
| Culpable homicide | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 5 | 10 | -5 |
| Murder | 4 | 7 | -3 |
| Arson | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Abduction | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| Bank robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Public violence | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stock-theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Truck hijacking | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in City of Cape Town
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Cape Town Central
Check another area
Data Sources & Notes
- Crime data: SAPS quarterly crime statistics
- Population: City of Cape Town Census 2022 Police Precinct Profiles
- SAPS data reflects reported crime only. Crime reporting rates vary by area.
- This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for safety or property decisions. Full disclaimer
- Per-capita rates use Census 2022 residential population — daytime populations not captured.
- Full methodology →