Hillbrow Precinct
Johannesburg|5 suburbs
How much crime was reported in the Hillbrow precinct?
The Hillbrow SAPS precinct recorded 6,080 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, down 8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Very High volume for Gauteng
Largest categories
Whole-precinct figures, reported crime only, raw counts. Source: SAPS quarterly crime statistics (saps.gov.za), Apr 2025–Mar 2026.
What this data can't tell you
- Exactly where in the precinct crimes happened. SAPS reports crime per police precinct. These figures cover the whole Hillbrow precinct area, and all 5 suburbs in it share them.
- Crime that was never reported. SAPS counts crimes reported to the police. Not all crime is reported, so actual incidence is higher. Reporting rates also vary by area and crime type, so there is no reliable way to correct for it. How we handle this →
- How crime compares per resident. These are raw counts with no population adjustment. Precincts serving more people naturally record more crimes. The trend over time, which compares this precinct against its own history, is the more reliable signal.
See how Hillbrow compares to other Gauteng precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in Johannesburg → See how Johannesburg suburbs rank →
View 5 suburbs in this precinct
All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level.
Crime volume
Very High
in Gauteng
Reported crimes
6,080
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year
vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
↓ 8%
fewer crimes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
vs pre-COVID baseline
↓ 34.8%
below 2018-2019
Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release
Crime in Hillbrow decreased 8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025, though crime levels remain very high relative to other precincts.
What's changing?
Biggest changes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
Serious assault dropped significantly (-137) while Commercial crime increased (+103).
Serious assault-137
Theft from vehicle-122
Commercial crime+103
All theft not mentioned elsewhere-101
Crime trend by year
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
| Crime category | Reported count |
|---|---|
| Aggravated robbery | 797 |
| Carjacking | 57 |
| Truck hijacking | 1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 23 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 49 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 0 |
| Bank robbery | 0 |
| Components of aggravated robbery above, already counted in that total. Not additional crimes. | |
| Common assault | 783 |
| Commercial crime | 735 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 689 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 507 |
| Common robbery | 503 |
| Drug-related crime | 386 |
| Serious assault | 361 |
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated robbery | 797 | 847 | -50 |
| Carjacking | 57 | 74 | -17 |
| Truck hijacking | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 23 | 28 | -5 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 49 | 59 | -10 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bank robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Components of aggravated robbery above, already counted in that total. Not additional crimes. SAPS reports these both individually and within the aggravated-robbery figure. | |||
| Common assault | 783 | 791 | -8 |
| Commercial crime | 735 | 632 | +103 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 689 | 790 | -101 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 507 | 470 | +37 |
| Common robbery | 503 | 576 | -73 |
| Drug-related crime | 386 | 351 | +35 |
| Serious assault | 361 | 498 | -137 |
| Theft from vehicle | 262 | 384 | -122 |
| Malicious damage | 203 | 219 | -16 |
| Shoplifting | 130 | 102 | +28 |
| Rape | 125 | 124 | +1 |
| Vehicle theft | 108 | 153 | -45 |
| Murder | 81 | 121 | -40 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 67 | 66 | +1 |
| Kidnapping | 62 | 93 | -31 |
| Attempted murder | 61 | 83 | -22 |
| Residential burglary | 60 | 125 | -65 |
| Business burglary | 45 | 70 | -25 |
| Sexual assault | 34 | 37 | -3 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 32 | 25 | +7 |
| Crimen injuria | 28 | 17 | +11 |
| Culpable homicide | 16 | 24 | -8 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 3 | 7 | -4 |
| Arson | 1 | 3 | -2 |
| Contact sexual offences | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Abduction | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Public violence | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stock-theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in Johannesburg
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
See Hillbrow on the national crime map
View this precinct's boundary in context, with a year-by-year timeline back to 2013/14 and every other Gauteng precinct around it.
Open Hillbrow on the crime map →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Hillbrow
The Hillbrow SAPS precinct recorded 6,080 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, down 8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The largest categories were Aggravated robbery (797), Common assault (783), Commercial crime (735). These are whole-precinct raw counts of reported crime, not adjusted for population.
The Hillbrow SAPS precinct recorded 6,080 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026 — down 8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. 81 murders were reported. It sits in the "Very High" crime-volume tier for Gauteng precincts. SafeSuburb presents SAPS figures as published — we do not rate precincts safe or unsafe. SAPS reports crime at precinct level, not per suburb, so every suburb in this precinct shares the same data.
The Hillbrow SAPS precinct reported 6,080 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Crime is down 8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Crime in the Hillbrow SAPS precinct has decreased 8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The precinct reported 6,080 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
The most frequently reported crime category in the Hillbrow SAPS precinct is Robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The Hillbrow SAPS precinct covers: Berea, Braamfontein, Hillbrow, Joubert Park, Killarney. All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level, not per suburb.
Check another area
Data Sources & Notes
- Crime data: SAPS quarterly crime statistics
- SAPS data reflects reported crime only. Crime reporting rates vary by area. How much crime goes unreported? →
- 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 →