Is Mauritius Safe? What the 2025 Crime Figures Actually Show

In 2025, Mauritius recorded 43.3 offences per 1,000 inhabitants excluding road contraventions, against 42.8 the year before — a rise of just 1%. Over the same period, offences against property, the category that covers most burglaries, fell by 11.4%, according to official figures published in June 2026 by Statistics Mauritius. For a foreign resident, the real risk is therefore not generalised violence but opportunistic theft: a break-in at an isolated house, a bag left in plain sight in a car, belongings left unattended on a beach.

What the official 2025 figures show

The latest Crime, Justice and Security Statistics report from Statistics Mauritius, published in June 2026, covers the 2025 calendar year and allows a category-by-category comparison.

Two things stand out. First, the category that most directly affects a foreign owner or tenant — offences against property — is improving markedly. Second, the sharpest increases are in drug-related offences and speeding, two areas that depend far more on personal conduct than on risk you simply have to absorb.

The real risk is burglary, not assault

British and French travel advice converges on the same conclusion. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office describes crime in Mauritius as dominated by non-violent offences: burglaries of tourist villas and theft of bags left unattended. It also notes that sexual assaults against tourists have been reported, which justifies the same night-time caution advised in any destination. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in its country page updated on 27 August 2026, places the entire country at its normal vigilance level and states that burglaries remain frequent in isolated homes.

In practice, for a resident, the most likely scenario is not a violent encounter in the street but an intrusion into an empty or poorly protected house while you are away.

Areas and times that call for more care

The UK government notes that petty crime is particularly widespread in the tourist areas of Port Louis, Grand Baie and Flic en Flac. Both official sources advise against walking alone at night in deserted places, on beaches after dark, and in the poorly lit streets of the Port Louis business district. None of this makes those areas off-limits for living or going out: it is basic caution, the same that applies in any tourist city.

French official advice adds two simple habits: do not display conspicuous signs of wealth, and never leave bags or valuables visible in a parked vehicle, including in beach car parks.

Protecting a home against burglary

This is where the choice of housing makes a genuine difference. A secure residence with permanent security staff, CCTV and controlled access mechanically reduces the risk compared with an isolated, unwatched villa — a point developed in our guide to secure residences in Mauritius. It is also the norm in most new developments sold under PDS status, designed with perimeter fencing and a gatehouse from construction onwards.

For a standalone house, the measures that come up most often in consular advice and among residents are straightforward: grilles or bars on accessible openings, automatic outdoor lighting, an alarm connected to a security company, and not signalling a long absence on social media before you are back.

Emergency numbers worth saving

The Mauritius Police Force publishes a list of direct contacts. Save them when you move in, rather than looking for them on the day you need them.

• General emergency (police, rescue): 999 or 112
• Tourist police: 999 (state explicitly on the call if the incident involves a visitor or a foreign resident)
• Police switchboard: 208 12 12
• Police operations and information room: 468 00 34 / 468 00 35
• General helpline: 148
• National Coast Guard: 208 39 35 / 212 27 57
• Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit: 211 08 77 / 208 72 59

For anything involving domestic violence, police stations refer callers to the Police Family Protection Unit through the operations room of the relevant division.

Neighbourhood Watch in Mauritius

The Crime Prevention Unit of the Mauritius Police Force has a stated mission to strengthen the relationship between the public and the police and to set up Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in areas considered more exposed, alongside equivalent schemes for businesses (Business Watch). Asking the local police station whether such a group exists in your area is often the most direct way to obtain closer vigilance at no cost.

The precautions that prevent the most trouble

On the official record, driving is a more frequent source of risk than crime itself: road contraventions rose by 11.1% in 2025 and speeding offences by 25.4%. Mauritius applies zero tolerance for drink-driving, with penalties ranging from a heavy fine to licence suspension and even imprisonment. The rule on narcotics is stricter still: possession, even in small quantities, carries sentences of up to twenty years, and airport checks are systematic.

What this means for a relocation plan

Safety is not an obstacle to settling in Mauritius, but a criterion to weigh alongside distance to amenities or the quality of a school. The choice between a standalone villa and a managed residence, covered in our article on the practical criteria for choosing a home in Mauritius, is part of that. Our article on the downsides of living in Mauritius covers the other day-to-day constraints worth anticipating before you sign.

Sources and verification

• Statistics Mauritius — Crime, Justice and Security Statistics, year 2025
• GOV.UK — Foreign travel advice, Mauritius, safety and security
• France Diplomatie — Travel advice, Mauritius, safety (in French)
• Mauritius Police Force — Contacts and emergency numbers
• Mauritius Police Force — Crime Prevention Unit