Crime in Priory, Swale: statistics, rates and trends
377 crimes were recorded in Priory, Swale in the 12 months to August 2026, 110.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 17% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Priory, Swale at a glance
- Crime trends in Priory, Swale
- Types of crime in Priory, Swale
- Priory, Swale compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Priory, Swale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Priory, Swale
- Demographics of Priory, Swale
- Questions about crime in Priory, Swale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (129), anti-social behaviour (76), criminal damage and arson (37) and shoplifting (37) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,011th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Priory, Swale | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 377 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 110.0 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -17% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 3,428 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Priory, Swale peaked in the year to August 2021 (535 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (298). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 377 | 110.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 454 | 132.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 325 | 94.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 298 | 86.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 349 | 101.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 535 | 156.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 423 | 123.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 364 | 106.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 429 | 125.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 38 |
| July 2026 | 33 |
| June 2026 | 33 |
| May 2026 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 30 |
| March 2026 | 18 |
| February 2026 | 19 |
| January 2026 | 27 |
| December 2025 | 25 |
| November 2025 | 36 |
| October 2025 | 46 |
| September 2025 | 47 |
Compared with England and Wales, Priory, Swale recorded notably more criminal damage and arson (60% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (44% above the national rate) and shoplifting (28% above the national rate). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 27 to 37 and public order rose from 20 to 23, while violence and sexual offences fell from 201 to 129 and shoplifting fell from 48 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 129 | 37.6 | 34.2 | -36% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 76 | 22.2 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 37 | 10.8 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Shoplifting | 37 | 10.8 | 8.5 | -23% |
| Public order | 23 | 6.7 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Other crime | 19 | 5.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Other theft | 18 | 5.3 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 5.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 6 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 1.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Priory, 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 Priory, Swale |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Ann's | 446 | 83.1 | -24% |
| Watling | 383 | 56.8 | -48% |
| Abbey | 843 | 120.3 | +9% |
| Boughton and Courtenay | 263 | 44.2 | -60% |
| Teynham and Lynsted | 592 | 82.4 | -25% |
| Sheppey East | 1,166 | 153.5 | +40% |
| Murston | 825 | 114.0 | +4% |
| West Downs | 257 | 81.7 | -26% |
The 10 locations below account for 64% of the crime recorded in Priory, Swale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (83).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 83 |
| On or near Broomfield Road | 27 |
| On or near Stoving Lane | 21 |
| On or near Fostall Road | 19 |
| On or near Springhead Road | 19 |
| On or near Sevenacre Road | 16 |
| On or near Ham Road | 15 |
| On or near Reedland Crescent | 15 |
| On or near Brook Road | 14 |
| On or near Barnfield Road | 11 |
Of the 301 crimes in Priory, Swale with a recorded outcome, 32% 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 76 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 124 | 41.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 96 | 31.9% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 27 | 9.0% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 6.0% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 3.7% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Priory, Swale has an estimated population of 3,428 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (30%, against 17%), less private renting (7.8%, against 20.3%) and more residents with no qualifications (28%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Priory, Swale average decile 4.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Priory, Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 50.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 28.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 29.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 7.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.4 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 51.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Priory, Swale a safe place to live?
Priory, Swale recorded 110.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,011th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Priory, Swale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 129 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (76).
Is crime in Priory, Swale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Priory, Swale was down 17% on the year before: 377 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 454 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Priory, Swale?
About 3,428 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Priory, Swale?
Priory, 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.