Crime in Heron: statistics, rates and trends
2,146 crimes were recorded in Heron in the 12 months to August 2026, 138.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (703), anti-social behaviour (499) and shoplifting (296) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 558th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Heron | Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,146 | 17,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 138.0 | 107.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 15,552 | 162,100 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Heron peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,527 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,964). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,146 | 138.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,079 | 133.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,964 | 126.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,257 | 145.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,060 | 132.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,240 | 144.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,227 | 143.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,114 | 135.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,527 | 162.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 213 |
| July 2026 | 203 |
| June 2026 | 190 |
| May 2026 | 210 |
| April 2026 | 211 |
| March 2026 | 160 |
| February 2026 | 145 |
| January 2026 | 171 |
| December 2025 | 135 |
| November 2025 | 162 |
| October 2025 | 187 |
| September 2025 | 159 |
Compared with England and Wales, Heron recorded notably more shoplifting (2.3 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (2.1 times the national rate) and possession of weapons (66% above the national rate), and notably less public order (33% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 334 to 499 and other theft rose from 84 to 123, while drugs fell from 96 to 73 and criminal damage and arson fell from 205 to 158.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 703 | 45.2 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 499 | 32.1 | 15.4 | +49% |
| Shoplifting | 296 | 19.0 | 8.5 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 158 | 10.2 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Other theft | 123 | 7.9 | 6.4 | +46% |
| Drugs | 73 | 4.7 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 72 | 4.6 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Public order | 69 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Burglary | 48 | 3.1 | 3.6 | +9% |
| Other crime | 35 | 2.3 | 2.1 | -20% |
| Robbery | 28 | 1.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 25 | 1.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Heron has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Heron |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Bay | 212 | 67.9 | -51% |
| Greenhill | 240 | 64.4 | -53% |
| Beltinge | 238 | 37.5 | -73% |
| Herne & Broomfield | 418 | 41.1 | -70% |
| Reculver | 250 | 56.4 | -59% |
| Chestfield | 300 | 44.2 | -68% |
| Tankerton | 169 | 53.5 | -61% |
| Gorrell | 1,363 | 114.3 | -17% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Heron over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (348).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 348 |
| On or near Parking Area | 104 |
| On or near Clarence Street | 78 |
| On or near Dolphin Street | 74 |
| On or near East Street | 56 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 53 |
| On or near Bank Street | 51 |
| On or near York Road | 50 |
| On or near Herne Bay | 49 |
| On or near William Street | 48 |
Of the 1,647 crimes in Heron with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 499 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 619 | 37.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 617 | 37.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 131 | 8.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 75 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 69 | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 42 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 38 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 37 | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 15 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Heron has an estimated population of 15,552 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (9.7%, against 17.1%), an older population (27%, against 19%) and more retired residents (29%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Heron average decile 4.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Heron | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Heron a safe place to live?
Heron recorded 138.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 558th 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 Heron?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 703 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (499).
Is crime in Heron going up or down?
Recorded crime in Heron was up 3% on the year before: 2,146 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,079 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Heron?
About 15,552 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Heron?
Heron 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.