Observatory Crime Statistics
Observatory spans 2 police precincts — which one covers you?
All data below updates based on your selection. Why does this suburb have two precincts?
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
Crime volume
Low
relative to other WC precincts
Reported crimes
458
2025-2026 · 9 of 12 months
Year-on-year
↓ 19.9%
fewer crimes vs 2024-2025
(based on 3 of 4 quarters)
vs its pre-COVID level
↓ 39.8%
below 2018-2019
Crime by type
Year-on-year change by crime category. Murder is shown separately but is included in the violent crime total.
Murder
0
↓ 100% YoY
Violent crime
90
↓ 37.1% YoY
Property crime
237
↓ 11.9% YoY
Other crime
131
↓ 18.1% YoY
What's changing?
Biggest year-on-year movements in crime categories
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
Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in City of Cape Town
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
Compare Observatory
See how Observatory stacks up against other suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Observatory
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
- Full methodology →