Crime in Abbey, Swale: statistics, rates and trends
843 crimes were recorded in Abbey, Swale in the 12 months to August 2026, 120.3 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Abbey, Swale at a glance
- Crime trends in Abbey, Swale
- Types of crime in Abbey, Swale
- Abbey, Swale compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Abbey, Swale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Abbey, Swale
- Demographics of Abbey, Swale
- Questions about crime in Abbey, Swale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (284), anti-social behaviour (163) and shoplifting (118) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 822nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Abbey, Swale | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 843 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 120.3 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 7,006 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Abbey, Swale peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,013 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (780). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 2%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 843 | 120.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 815 | 116.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 780 | 111.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 886 | 126.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 888 | 126.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 946 | 135.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,013 | 144.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 876 | 125.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 860 | 122.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 69 |
| July 2026 | 69 |
| June 2026 | 64 |
| May 2026 | 74 |
| April 2026 | 54 |
| March 2026 | 70 |
| February 2026 | 59 |
| January 2026 | 52 |
| December 2025 | 59 |
| November 2025 | 75 |
| October 2025 | 98 |
| September 2025 | 100 |
Compared with England and Wales, Abbey, Swale recorded notably more shoplifting (2.0 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (51% above the national rate) and other crime (42% above the national rate), and notably less public order (40% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 27 to 42 and other theft rose from 48 to 60, while other crime fell from 28 to 21 and shoplifting fell from 148 to 118.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 284 | 40.5 | 34.2 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 163 | 23.3 | 15.4 | +20% |
| Shoplifting | 118 | 16.8 | 8.5 | -20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 64 | 9.1 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Other theft | 60 | 8.6 | 6.4 | +25% |
| Vehicle crime | 42 | 6.0 | 5.0 | +56% |
| Public order | 28 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Drugs | 21 | 3.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 21 | 3.0 | 2.1 | -25% |
| Burglary | 20 | 2.9 | 3.6 | -13% |
| Robbery | 7 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Abbey, Swale; the highest is Sheppey East (153.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Boughton and Courtenay (44.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Abbey, Swale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watling | 383 | 56.8 | -53% |
| Priory | 377 | 110.0 | -9% |
| St Ann's | 446 | 83.1 | -31% |
| Boughton and Courtenay | 263 | 44.2 | -63% |
| Teynham and Lynsted | 592 | 82.4 | -32% |
| Sheppey East | 1,166 | 153.5 | +28% |
| Murston | 825 | 114.0 | -5% |
| West Downs | 257 | 81.7 | -32% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Abbey, Swale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (157).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 157 |
| On or near Market Street | 40 |
| On or near Gatefield Lane | 39 |
| On or near Preston Street | 35 |
| On or near Marsh Lane | 28 |
| On or near Park Road | 24 |
| On or near Cyprus Road | 22 |
| On or near B2041 | 18 |
| On or near Kings Drive | 18 |
| On or near Nova Avenue | 16 |
Of the 680 crimes in Abbey, Swale with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 163 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 268 | 39.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 221 | 32.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 53 | 7.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 47 | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 31 | 4.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Abbey, Swale has an estimated population of 7,006 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.3%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Abbey, Swale average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Abbey, Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Abbey, Swale a safe place to live?
Abbey, Swale recorded 120.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 822nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Abbey, Swale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 284 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (163).
Is crime in Abbey, Swale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Abbey, Swale was up 3% on the year before: 843 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 815 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Abbey, Swale?
About 7,006 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Abbey, Swale?
Abbey, Swale 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.