Hillcrest Precinct
eThekwini|16 suburbs
How much crime was reported in the Hillcrest precinct?
The Hillcrest SAPS precinct recorded 3,132 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, up 3.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Very High volume for KwaZulu-Natal
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 Hillcrest precinct area, and all 16 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 Hillcrest compares to other KwaZulu-Natal precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in eThekwini → See how Durban suburbs rank →
View 16 suburbs in this precinct
All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level.
Crime volume
Very High
in KwaZulu-Natal
Reported crimes
3,132
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year
vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
↑ 3.1%
more crimes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
vs pre-COVID baseline
↓ 19.8%
below 2018-2019
Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release
Crime in Hillcrest rose 3.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
What's changing?
Biggest changes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
Residential burglary dropped significantly (-96) while Commercial crime increased (+130).
Commercial crime+130
Residential burglary-96
Shoplifting+58
Common assault+54
Crime trend by year
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
| Crime category | Reported count |
|---|---|
| Commercial crime | 743 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 509 |
| Common assault | 350 |
| Residential burglary | 236 |
| Aggravated robbery | 174 |
| Carjacking | 14 |
| Truck hijacking | 1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 92 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 11 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 0 |
| Bank robbery | 0 |
| Components of aggravated robbery above, already counted in that total. Not additional crimes. | |
| Serious assault | 169 |
| Malicious damage | 131 |
| Theft from vehicle | 121 |
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial crime | 743 | 613 | +130 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 509 | 524 | -15 |
| Common assault | 350 | 296 | +54 |
| Residential burglary | 236 | 332 | -96 |
| Aggravated robbery | 174 | 179 | -5 |
| Carjacking | 14 | 13 | +1 |
| Truck hijacking | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 92 | 95 | -3 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 11 | 8 | +3 |
| 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. | |||
| Serious assault | 169 | 174 | -5 |
| Malicious damage | 131 | 114 | +17 |
| Theft from vehicle | 121 | 133 | -12 |
| Shoplifting | 120 | 62 | +58 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 74 | 98 | -24 |
| Vehicle theft | 66 | 74 | -8 |
| Attempted murder | 63 | 47 | +16 |
| Rape | 63 | 59 | +4 |
| Murder | 47 | 74 | -27 |
| Common robbery | 38 | 40 | -2 |
| Business burglary | 36 | 68 | -32 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 35 | 47 | -12 |
| Kidnapping | 33 | 29 | +4 |
| Crimen injuria | 32 | 22 | +10 |
| Culpable homicide | 29 | 19 | +10 |
| Drug-related crime | 23 | 8 | +15 |
| Stock-theft | 14 | 10 | +4 |
| Sexual assault | 12 | 3 | +9 |
| Arson | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Contact sexual offences | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Public violence | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Abduction | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in eThekwini
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
See Hillcrest 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 KwaZulu-Natal precinct around it.
Open Hillcrest on the crime map →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Hillcrest
The Hillcrest SAPS precinct recorded 3,132 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, up 3.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The largest categories were Commercial crime (743), All theft not mentioned elsewhere (509), Common assault (350). These are whole-precinct raw counts of reported crime, not adjusted for population.
The Hillcrest SAPS precinct recorded 3,132 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026 — up 3.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. 47 murders were reported. It sits in the "Very High" crime-volume tier for KwaZulu-Natal 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 Hillcrest SAPS precinct reported 3,132 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Crime is up 3.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Crime in the Hillcrest SAPS precinct has increased 3.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The precinct reported 3,132 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
The most frequently reported crime category in the Hillcrest SAPS precinct is Commercial crime.
The Hillcrest SAPS precinct covers: Assagay, Bothas Hill, Crestholme, Everton, Forest Hills, Gillitts, Hillcrest, Kloof, Lower Langefontein, Lower Molweni, Molweni, Ngcolosi, Summerveld, Umngeni, Waterfall, Winston Park. 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 →