Crime in Penenden Heath: statistics, rates and trends
1,239 crimes were recorded in Penenden Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 80.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Penenden Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Penenden Heath
- Types of crime in Penenden Heath
- Penenden Heath compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Penenden Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Penenden Heath
- Demographics of Penenden Heath
- Questions about crime in Penenden Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (437), anti-social behaviour (215) and shoplifting (122) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,829th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Penenden Heath | Maidstone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,239 | 16,356 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 80.4 | 87.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 15,420 | 187,767 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Penenden Heath of any year here (1,239 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,239 | 80.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,257 | 81.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,449 | 94.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,449 | 94.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,390 | 90.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,482 | 96.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,545 | 100.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,425 | 92.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,392 | 90.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 118 |
| July 2026 | 97 |
| June 2026 | 122 |
| May 2026 | 106 |
| April 2026 | 120 |
| March 2026 | 103 |
| February 2026 | 87 |
| January 2026 | 117 |
| December 2025 | 98 |
| November 2025 | 107 |
| October 2025 | 86 |
| September 2025 | 78 |
Compared with England and Wales, Penenden Heath recorded notably more other crime (90% above the national rate) and drugs (33% above the national rate), and notably less public order (44% below) and vehicle crime (43% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 83 to 122 and public order rose from 50 to 58, while vehicle crime fell from 60 to 44.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 437 | 28.3 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 215 | 13.9 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 122 | 7.9 | 8.5 | +47% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 92 | 6.0 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 90 | 5.8 | 6.4 | -11% |
| Drugs | 67 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Other crime | 62 | 4.0 | 2.1 | +9% |
| Public order | 58 | 3.8 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 44 | 2.9 | 5.0 | -27% |
| Burglary | 16 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Penenden Heath; the highest is High Street, Maidstone (278.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Palace Wood (31.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Penenden Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Street | 3,218 | 278.2 | +246% |
| Allington & Bridge | 745 | 88.6 | +10% |
| Grove Green & Vinters Park | 409 | 50.7 | -37% |
| Palace Wood | 231 | 31.6 | -61% |
| Tovil | 459 | 70.0 | -13% |
| Fant & Oakwood | 1,276 | 101.3 | +26% |
| Bearsted & Downswood | 340 | 35.0 | -56% |
| Shepway | 1,267 | 100.5 | +25% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Penenden Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (299).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 299 |
| On or near Mill Wood | 50 |
| On or near Prison | 49 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 47 |
| On or near Mill Lane | 39 |
| On or near Bluett Street | 37 |
| On or near Brewer Street | 36 |
| On or near Gladstone Road | 31 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 26 |
| On or near Boxley Road | 25 |
Of the 1,024 crimes in Penenden Heath with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 215 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 371 | 36.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 333 | 32.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 89 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 81 | 7.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 40 | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 31 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Penenden Heath has an estimated population of 15,420 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (29%, against 20%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Penenden Heath average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Penenden Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 60.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Penenden Heath a safe place to live?
Penenden Heath recorded 80.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,829th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Penenden Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 437 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (215).
Is crime in Penenden Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Penenden Heath was down 1% on the year before: 1,239 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,257 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Penenden Heath?
About 15,420 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Penenden Heath?
Penenden Heath 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.