Figures<\/a> from South Wales Police indicate that crime in the Cathays ward \u2013 which includes both the residential area of Cathays and the city centre \u2013 is returning to pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther parts of Cardiff, such as Grangetown, Butetown, Ely, Splott, and Plasnewydd have all maintained or have seen decreasing crime levels over the same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have very little sleep due to disturbance outside both night and day \u2013 and I\u2019m prescribed medication for my sleep,\u201d said Alison Pollard, 49, who has lived in Cathays for 24 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn the whole I would say that crime and anti-social behaviour have increased over the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have had many experiences including criminal damage to cars, my husband being punched by an intoxicated student, and at a different time another intoxicated student tried to climb into my car \u2013 my 17-year-old daughter had to pull him out.\u201d
Cathays had 455 crimes recorded in December 2020, which rose to 811 in November 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: \u201cThe Cathays ward includes Cardiff city centre where, as you would expect, crime levels have been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHistorical data for the city centre shows between 750 and 860 crimes a month. Therefore, it would appear that following lockdown, the numbers have returned to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cathays is the only neighbourhood in Cardiff to experience a significant increase in crime over the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Norma Mackie, Labour councillor for Cathays, said: \u201cWe have obviously had concerns \u2013 especially the particularly serious crimes we\u2019ve had lately \u2013 which is very unusual for Cardiff, especially having so many so close together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have had conversations with the police about what is going on, but they knew these crimes were linked to certain things and so they didn\u2019t think that there was a general increase in crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn terms of particularly serious crimes, often they come under the city centre area which is within the same boundary ward for Cathays and, as restrictions eased towards the end of the year, crimes in the city centre \u2013 with people coming out of bars and clubs \u2013 did increase.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Violence and sexual offences have made up 20% of crimes in Cathays over the last three years, but in November 2021 that number rose to 32%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although crime rates in the residential area of Cathays have fallen, the city centre part of the ward has shot up \u2013 and residents are feeling the effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/01\/ik8X3-number-of-crimes-recorded-in-cathays-december-2020-november-2021-811x1024.png\")