Somerset West Precinct
City of Cape Town|9 suburbs
How much crime was reported in the Somerset West precinct?
The Somerset West SAPS precinct recorded 3,953 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, down 6.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
High volume for Western CapeVery High nationally
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 Somerset West precinct area, and all 9 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 Somerset West compares to other Western Cape precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in City of Cape Town → See how Cape Town suburbs rank →
View 9 suburbs in this precinct
All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level.
Crime volume
High
in Western Cape · Very High nationally
Reported crimes
3,953
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year
vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
↓ 6.3%
fewer crimes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
vs pre-COVID baseline
↓ 19%
below 2018-2019
Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release
Crime in Somerset West decreased 6.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025, though crime levels remain high relative to other precincts.
What's changing?
Biggest changes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
Theft from vehicle dropped significantly (-110) while Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased (+44).
Theft from vehicle-110
Residential burglary-75
Vehicle theft-67
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs+44
Crime trend by year
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
| Crime category | Reported count |
|---|---|
| Commercial crime | 891 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 711 |
| Drug-related crime | 387 |
| Common assault | 365 |
| Residential burglary | 296 |
| Theft from vehicle | 229 |
| Malicious damage | 198 |
| Aggravated robbery | 159 |
| Carjacking | 3 |
| Truck hijacking | 1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 33 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 6 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 1 |
| Bank robbery | 0 |
| Components of aggravated robbery above, already counted in that total. Not additional crimes. | |
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial crime | 891 | 864 | +27 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 711 | 753 | -42 |
| Drug-related crime | 387 | 374 | +13 |
| Common assault | 365 | 328 | +37 |
| Residential burglary | 296 | 371 | -75 |
| Theft from vehicle | 229 | 339 | -110 |
| Malicious damage | 198 | 215 | -17 |
| Aggravated robbery | 159 | 179 | -20 |
| Carjacking | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Truck hijacking | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 33 | 34 | -1 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 6 | 16 | -10 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 1 | 1 | 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 | 141 | 144 | -3 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 138 | 94 | +44 |
| Shoplifting | 121 | 135 | -14 |
| Business burglary | 62 | 88 | -26 |
| Common robbery | 56 | 77 | -21 |
| Vehicle theft | 54 | 121 | -67 |
| Crimen injuria | 50 | 48 | +2 |
| Rape | 37 | 25 | +12 |
| Sexual assault | 12 | 17 | -5 |
| Murder | 10 | 5 | +5 |
| Culpable homicide | 8 | 5 | +3 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 7 | 3 | +4 |
| Kidnapping | 6 | 8 | -2 |
| Attempted murder | 4 | 10 | -6 |
| Arson | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Stock-theft | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| Contact sexual offences | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Public violence | 1 | 3 | -2 |
| Abduction | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 0 | 1 | -1 |
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Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in City of Cape Town
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
See Somerset West 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 Western Cape precinct around it.
Open Somerset West on the crime map →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Somerset West
The Somerset West SAPS precinct recorded 3,953 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, down 6.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The largest categories were Commercial crime (891), All theft not mentioned elsewhere (711), Drug-related crime (387). These are whole-precinct raw counts of reported crime, not adjusted for population.
The Somerset West SAPS precinct recorded 3,953 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026 — down 6.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. 10 murders were reported. It sits in the "High" crime-volume tier for Western Cape 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 Somerset West SAPS precinct reported 3,953 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Crime is down 6.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Crime in the Somerset West SAPS precinct has decreased 6.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The precinct reported 3,953 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
The most frequently reported crime category in the Somerset West SAPS precinct is Commercial crime.
The Somerset West SAPS precinct covers: Boskloof, Bridgewater, Erinvale, Helderberg, Heldervue, Heritage Park, Parel Vallei, Somerset West, Strand. 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 →