Crime in Dover district: statistics, rates and trends
10,506 crimes were recorded in Dover district in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dover district at a glance
- Crime trends in Dover district
- Types of crime in Dover district
- Dover district compared with nearby districts
- Areas within Dover district
- Streets with the most crime in Dover district
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dover district
- Demographics of Dover district
- Fly-tipping in Dover
- Questions about crime in Dover district
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,009), anti-social behaviour (2,074) and criminal damage and arson (1,025) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 143rd of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dover district | Kent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 10,506 | 145,778 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.7 | 88.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 119,768 | 1,639,029 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dover district of any year here (10,506 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 10,506 | 87.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 10,993 | 91.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 11,806 | 98.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 12,008 | 100.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 12,485 | 104.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 12,406 | 103.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 12,940 | 108.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 12,902 | 107.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 14,180 | 118.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,056 |
| July 2026 | 1,125 |
| June 2026 | 877 |
| May 2026 | 904 |
| April 2026 | 777 |
| March 2026 | 890 |
| February 2026 | 774 |
| January 2026 | 787 |
| December 2025 | 850 |
| November 2025 | 833 |
| October 2025 | 801 |
| September 2025 | 832 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dover district recorded notably more other crime (30% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (27% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (86% below) and bicycle theft (62% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 58 to 75, while theft from the person fell from 46 to 28 and bicycle theft fell from 59 to 38.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,009 | 33.5 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 2,074 | 17.3 | 15.4 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,025 | 8.6 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 857 | 7.2 | 8.5 | +10% |
| Other theft | 643 | 5.4 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 379 | 3.2 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Public order | 371 | 3.1 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Other crime | 330 | 2.8 | 2.1 | -5% |
| Drugs | 322 | 2.7 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Burglary | 247 | 2.1 | 3.6 | +3% |
| Possession of weapons | 108 | 0.9 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Robbery | 75 | 0.6 | 1.4 | +29% |
| Bicycle theft | 38 | 0.3 | 0.8 | -36% |
| Theft from the person | 28 | 0.2 | 1.7 | -39% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest districts have a higher crime rate than Dover district; the highest is Thanet (115.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Ashford (77.3).
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dover district |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folkestone and Hythe | 9,645 | 85.8 | -2% |
| Thanet | 16,491 | 115.6 | +32% |
| Canterbury | 17,480 | 107.8 | +23% |
| Ashford | 10,895 | 77.3 | -12% |
| Swale | 15,704 | 99.2 | +13% |
| Maidstone | 16,356 | 87.1 | -1% |
| Medway | 29,963 | 102.4 | +17% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 21,255 | 114.7 | +31% |
Of the 33 areas within Dover district, Town & Castle had the highest crime rate (296.3 per 1,000) and Kingsdown the lowest (31.9), 9 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town & Castle | Neighbourhood | 8,232 | 2,439 | 296.3 |
| Tower Hamlets | Neighbourhood | 4,206 | 782 | 185.9 |
| Dover | Town | 36,819 | 5,526 | 150.1 |
| St Radigunds | Neighbourhood | 8,234 | 1,208 | 146.7 |
| Buckland | Neighbourhood | 7,458 | 743 | 99.6 |
| Sandwich | Town | 3,644 | 346 | 95.0 |
| North Deal | Neighbourhood | 6,541 | 574 | 87.8 |
| Ash (Dover) | Town | 1,675 | 130 | 77.6 |
| Aylesham | Town | 6,461 | 481 | 74.4 |
| Maxton & Elms Vale | Neighbourhood | 4,371 | 304 | 69.5 |
| Whitfield (Dover) | Town | 6,573 | 453 | 68.9 |
| Whitfield | Neighbourhood | 6,573 | 453 | 68.9 |
| Middle Deal | Neighbourhood | 7,342 | 502 | 68.4 |
| Aylesham, Eythorne & Shepherdswell | Neighbourhood | 12,945 | 843 | 65.1 |
| Sandwich | Neighbourhood | 7,524 | 486 | 64.6 |
| Sibertswold | Town | 1,720 | 111 | 64.5 |
| Deal | Town | 28,885 | 1,783 | 61.7 |
| Eythorne | Town | 1,498 | 92 | 61.4 |
| Capel-le-Ferne | Town | 2,456 | 149 | 60.7 |
| Alkham & Capel-le-Ferne | Neighbourhood | 3,902 | 232 | 59.5 |
| St Margaret's at Cliffe | Town | 3,239 | 190 | 58.7 |
| Dover Downs & River | Neighbourhood | 5,818 | 300 | 51.6 |
| Mill Hill | Neighbourhood | 7,910 | 399 | 50.4 |
| Guston, Kingsdown & St Margaret's-at-Cliffe | Neighbourhood | 7,260 | 330 | 45.5 |
| Little Stour & Ashstone | Neighbourhood | 5,761 | 260 | 45.1 |
| Walmer | Neighbourhood | 7,092 | 308 | 43.4 |
| Nonington | Town | 1,571 | 66 | 42.0 |
| Eastry Rural | Neighbourhood | 8,599 | 343 | 39.9 |
| Woodnesborough | Town | 2,062 | 81 | 39.3 |
| Guston | Town | 2,045 | 77 | 37.7 |
| Wingham | Town | 1,828 | 67 | 36.7 |
| Eastry | Town | 1,861 | 68 | 36.5 |
| Kingsdown | Town | 1,976 | 63 | 31.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 16% of the crime recorded in Dover district over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (399).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 399 |
| On or near Supermarket | 344 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 268 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 181 |
| On or near Cannon Street | 135 |
| On or near Pencester Road | 91 |
| On or near Malvern Road | 89 |
| On or near Russell Street | 76 |
| On or near Approach Road | 73 |
| On or near Worthington Street | 73 |
Of the 8,432 crimes in Dover district with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 2,074 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,274 | 38.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,036 | 36.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 621 | 7.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 494 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 257 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 236 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 199 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 187 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 71 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 31 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 19 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Dover district has an estimated population of 119,768 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.0%, against 7.9%), an older population (25%, against 19%) and more retired residents (28%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dover district average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dover district | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 11.8% | 10.1% (England) |
942 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Dover in 2024/25 (7.9 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in Dover has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is Dover district a safe place to live?
Dover district recorded 87.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 143rd of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Dover district?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,009 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (2,074).
Is crime in Dover district going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dover district was down 4% on the year before: 10,506 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 10,993 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dover district?
About 119,768 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dover district?
Dover district is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.