Waikanae Beach

Kapiti Coast District•Wellington Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

83

–

Crime rate

15.1 per 1,000

Population 3,183

Total crimes (past 12 months)

48

Trend (last 3 months)

▲ 44.4%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#168 / 232

Bottom 28%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Waikanae Beach Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (58.3%), burglary (27.1%), and assault (10.4%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Waikanae Beach is 15.0801 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 168 within Wellington Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Sep 2025, Nov 2025, Aug 2026.

Crime activity peaked in September 2025, November 2025, and August 2026.

Waikanae Beach crime statistics: common questions

Is Waikanae Beach safe?

Waikanae Beach recorded 48 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 15.1 per 1,000 residents across about 3,183 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Waikanae Beach?

The crime rate in Waikanae Beach is 15.1 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 48 recorded offences across about 3,183 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Waikanae Beach?

The most common offence category in Waikanae Beach is theft, with 28 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 58% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (13).

Is crime going up or down in Waikanae Beach?

Recorded offences in Waikanae Beach have risen 44.4% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Waikanae Beach compare with other suburbs in Wellington Region?

Waikanae Beach ranks 168 of 232 suburbs in Wellington Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Waikanae Beach only with other suburbs in Wellington Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Waikanae Beach come from?

Figures for Waikanae Beach, Kapiti Coast District come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.

Looking for a plain-English safety summary?

👉 See how safe Waikanae Beach is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz