Crime in Fort Horsted: statistics, rates and trends
400 crimes were recorded in Fort Horsted in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Fort Horsted at a glance
- Crime trends in Fort Horsted
- Types of crime in Fort Horsted
- Fort Horsted compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Fort Horsted
- What happened after crimes were reported in Fort Horsted
- Demographics of Fort Horsted
- Questions about crime in Fort Horsted
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (116), anti-social behaviour (69) and shoplifting (69) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,133rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Fort Horsted | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 400 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.3 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 5,529 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Fort Horsted peaked in the year to August 2018 (521 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (386). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 400 | 72.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 445 | 80.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 445 | 80.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 490 | 88.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 512 | 92.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 496 | 89.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 436 | 78.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 386 | 69.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 521 | 94.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 41 |
| June 2026 | 34 |
| May 2026 | 31 |
| April 2026 | 26 |
| March 2026 | 32 |
| February 2026 | 35 |
| January 2026 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 38 |
| November 2025 | 38 |
| October 2025 | 28 |
| September 2025 | 37 |
Compared with England and Wales, Fort Horsted recorded notably more shoplifting (48% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (39% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 23 to 30, while vehicle crime fell from 39 to 22 and shoplifting fell from 82 to 69.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 116 | 21.0 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 69 | 12.5 | 15.4 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 69 | 12.5 | 8.5 | -16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Other theft | 30 | 5.4 | 6.4 | +30% |
| Vehicle crime | 22 | 4.0 | 5.0 | -44% |
| Other crime | 16 | 2.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 14 | 2.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 13 | 2.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Fort Horsted; the highest is Fort Pitt (283.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Lordswood & Walderslade (56.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Fort Horsted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayfield & Weeds Wood | 1,083 | 105.7 | +46% |
| Princes Park | 650 | 63.8 | -12% |
| Lordswood & Walderslade | 789 | 56.2 | -22% |
| Rochester East & Warren Wood | 1,255 | 89.4 | +24% |
| Fort Pitt | 3,397 | 283.4 | +292% |
| Luton | 1,454 | 140.5 | +94% |
| Rochester West & Borstal | 1,726 | 131.7 | +82% |
| Chatham Central & Brompton | 3,304 | 164.8 | +128% |
The 10 locations below account for 72% of the crime recorded in Fort Horsted over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Highview Drive” (112).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Highview Drive | 112 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 59 |
| On or near Maidstone Road | 44 |
| On or near Walderslade Road | 15 |
| On or near Woodhurst | 15 |
| On or near Hurstwood | 9 |
| On or near Meadside Walk | 9 |
| On or near Amethyst Avenue | 8 |
| On or near Kemp Close | 8 |
| On or near A230 | 7 |
Of the 331 crimes in Fort Horsted with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 69 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 157 | 47.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 98 | 29.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 33 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 10 | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Fort Horsted has an estimated population of 5,529 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (4.7%, against 17.1%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Fort Horsted average decile 7.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Fort Horsted | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 84.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 4.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Fort Horsted a safe place to live?
Fort Horsted recorded 72.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,133rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Fort Horsted?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 116 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (69).
Is crime in Fort Horsted going up or down?
Recorded crime in Fort Horsted was down 10% on the year before: 400 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 445 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Fort Horsted?
About 5,529 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Fort Horsted?
Fort Horsted 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.