Crime in Gillingham South: statistics, rates and trends
3,072 crimes were recorded in Gillingham South in the 12 months to August 2026, 178.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Gillingham South at a glance
- Crime trends in Gillingham South
- Types of crime in Gillingham South
- Gillingham South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Gillingham South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Gillingham South
- Demographics of Gillingham South
- Questions about crime in Gillingham South
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,164), anti-social behaviour (540) and criminal damage and arson (247) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 268th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Gillingham South | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,072 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 178.8 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 17,183 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Gillingham South of any year here (3,072 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 | 3,072 | 178.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,395 | 197.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,391 | 197.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,391 | 197.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,024 | 234.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,825 | 222.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,941 | 229.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,672 | 213.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,147 | 241.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 269 |
| July 2026 | 314 |
| June 2026 | 242 |
| May 2026 | 227 |
| April 2026 | 227 |
| March 2026 | 277 |
| February 2026 | 218 |
| January 2026 | 295 |
| December 2025 | 254 |
| November 2025 | 243 |
| October 2025 | 212 |
| September 2025 | 294 |
Compared with England and Wales, Gillingham South recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.4 times the national rate), other crime (2.3 times the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (27% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 442 to 540, while vehicle crime fell from 149 to 111 and shoplifting fell from 314 to 235.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,164 | 67.7 | 34.2 | -16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 540 | 31.4 | 15.4 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 247 | 14.4 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Shoplifting | 235 | 13.7 | 8.5 | -25% |
| Other theft | 212 | 12.3 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Public order | 166 | 9.7 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Vehicle crime | 111 | 6.5 | 5.0 | -26% |
| Drugs | 107 | 6.2 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Other crime | 84 | 4.9 | 2.1 | -9% |
| Burglary | 75 | 4.4 | 3.6 | +3% |
| Robbery | 47 | 2.7 | 1.4 | +4% |
| Possession of weapons | 40 | 2.3 | 1.0 | +3% |
| Bicycle theft | 23 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0% |
| Theft from the person | 21 | 1.2 | 1.7 | -22% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Gillingham South; the highest is Fort Pitt (283.4 per 1,000) and the lowest St Mary's Island (28.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Gillingham South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watling | 1,924 | 120.1 | -33% |
| Gillingham North | 1,907 | 113.5 | -37% |
| Chatham Central & Brompton | 3,304 | 164.8 | -8% |
| Luton | 1,454 | 140.5 | -21% |
| Fort Pitt | 3,397 | 283.4 | +59% |
| Twydall | 688 | 75.9 | -58% |
| St Mary's Island | 111 | 28.1 | -84% |
| Rochester East & Warren Wood | 1,255 | 89.4 | -50% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Gillingham South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (241).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 241 |
| On or near Parking Area | 240 |
| On or near Hospital | 220 |
| On or near Windmill Road | 178 |
| On or near A231 | 115 |
| On or near Connaught Road | 107 |
| On or near Theodore Place | 104 |
| On or near Supermarket | 98 |
| On or near Pretoria Road | 70 |
| On or near Nightclub | 61 |
Of the 2,532 crimes in Gillingham South with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 540 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 963 | 38.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 825 | 32.6% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 228 | 9.0% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 180 | 7.1% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 120 | 4.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 76 | 3.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 62 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 48 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 15 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Gillingham South has an estimated population of 17,183 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (44%, against 20%), a younger population (9.5%, against 18.9%) and more households without a car (34%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Gillingham South average decile 2.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Gillingham South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 33.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 45.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 44.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.2 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 25.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Gillingham South a safe place to live?
Gillingham South recorded 178.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 268th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Gillingham South?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,164 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (540).
Is crime in Gillingham South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Gillingham South was down 10% on the year before: 3,072 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,395 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Gillingham South?
About 17,183 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.5% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Gillingham South?
Gillingham South 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.