2Athlone
Athlone, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 2 out of 10 High crime
2/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 28,754 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 77,329, a WorldPop 2025 modelled estimate summed within the police precinct, not a census count.
Crime by type, as recorded by SAPS (12 months to June 2026)
| Type | Count | Per 100,000 a year | All places this source covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | |||
| Murder | 39 | 50.4 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 23 | 29.7 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 23 | 29.7 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 1 | 1.3 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 0 | 0 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 83 | 107.3 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 137 | 177.2 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 561 | 725.5 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 11 | 14.2 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 299 | 386.7 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 137 | 177.2 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 122 | 157.8 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 84 | 108.6 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 0 | 0 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 118 | 152.6 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 118 | 152.6 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 281 | 363.4 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 586 | 757.8 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 1,186 | 1,533.7 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 2 | 2.6 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 3 | 3.9 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 360 | 465.5 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 7 | 9.1 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 129 | 166.8 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 64 | 82.8 | 24.2 |
| Sexual offences found by police action | 1 | 1.3 | 20.3 |
| Mainly sex work offences, not attacks on a person. | |||
| Child neglect and ill-treatment | 4 | 5.2 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 91 | 117.7 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 336 | 434.5 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 39 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 47 |
| Violence | 792 |
| Robbery | 436 |
| Theft and burglary | 1,309 |
| Drugs | 1,186 |
| Damage and public order | 365 |
| Other | 632 |
Questions about crime in Athlone
- Is Athlone safe?
- Athlone: Safety 2 out of 10 (High crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Athlone?
- Athlone: Weighted crime: 28,754 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Athlone?
- Recorded homicides in Athlone (12 months to June 2026): 39.
