Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
BT12 · Belfast
599
crimes in February 2026
Above national average
BT30 · Down
67
crimes in February 2026
Below national average
Downpatrick has less crime — 67 vs 599 incidents in February 2026.
Belfast recorded substantially more crime than Downpatrick in February 2026 — 599 incidents compared to 67, a 8.9x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Belfast sees higher rates of Criminal damage & arson (63), while Downpatrick has more Shoplifting (10). Belfast sits above the national average for recorded crime while Downpatrick is below — a significant gap for anyone weighing up the two.
Full reports cover 24 months of trends, ward breakdowns, outcome rates, and a detailed safety score — from £4.99.
Based on February 2026 Police data, Downpatrick recorded fewer crimes than Belfast — 67 vs 599 incidents. That is 89% fewer crimes. Downpatrick is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In February 2026, Belfast saw higher rates of Criminal damage & arson while Downpatrick had more Shoplifting. Overall, Downpatrick recorded fewer total crimes (67 vs 599).