Crime category
Stock theft in South Africa
Cases the source records as stock-theft.
23 251+0.5%(+119) was broadly unchanged. Compared with the previous financial year.
South Africa, 2025/26
National trend
Every financial year in the dataset up to the year you select. Missing years appear as gaps, not as zero.
Area snapshot
2025/26 nationally, compared with this category's own history up to this year.
- 2025/26Latest financial year
- 23 251
- 5-year average2021/22–2025/26
- 24 283
- 10-year average2016/17–2025/26
- 26 303
- Historical high2018/19
- 30 109
- Historical low2024/25
- 23 132
The latest figure sits between the historical low of 23 132 and the historical high of 30 109.
Crime history
- Highest recorded year
- 2018/19 — 30 109 incidents
- Lowest recorded year
- 2024/25 — 23 132 incidents
- Largest year-on-year increase
- 2016/17 — +8.8%
- Largest year-on-year decrease
- 2010/11 — −8.3%
Unusual movements
The selected year's year-on-year change compared with earlier comparable movements in this series.
Latest movement · recorded crime
Within the historical range
The +0.5% movement in 2025/26 sits within the range of earlier comparable year-on-year changes for this series.
Province breakdown
Recorded stock theft by province in 2025/26, listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
| Province | Recorded | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| 5 309 | +8.8% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 2 334 | −7.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 605 | −17.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 5 384 | +8.0% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 1 888 | −13.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 2 160 | −7.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 2 632 | +1.4% was broadly unchanged. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 661 | −10.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 618 | −5.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. |
Largest recent movements
Provinces whose year-on-year change clears CrimeMap SA's documented thresholds. Listed because the movement is large, not because the province is safer or more dangerous.
Recorded more often
- Eastern Cape+8.8% increased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- KwaZulu-Natal+8.0% increased. Compared with the previous financial year.
Recorded less often
- Gauteng−17.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Limpopo−13.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Northern Cape−10.8% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Free State−7.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Mpumalanga−7.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
Map
Local municipalities coloured by recorded volume for this category in 2025/26. Zoom in for police stations.