Crime in Rainham South West: statistics, rates and trends
551 crimes were recorded in Rainham South West in the 12 months to August 2026, 58.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Rainham South West at a glance
- Crime trends in Rainham South West
- Types of crime in Rainham South West
- Rainham South West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Rainham South West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Rainham South West
- Demographics of Rainham South West
- Questions about crime in Rainham South West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (186), shoplifting (80) and other theft (79) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,662nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Rainham South West | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 551 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.7 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 9,388 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Rainham South West peaked in the year to August 2020 (735 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (467). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 551 | 58.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 550 | 58.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 467 | 49.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 526 | 56.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 609 | 64.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 528 | 56.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 735 | 78.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 620 | 66.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 654 | 69.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 54 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 39 |
| May 2026 | 51 |
| April 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 42 |
| February 2026 | 47 |
| January 2026 | 41 |
| December 2025 | 29 |
| November 2025 | 60 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 34 |
Compared with England and Wales, Rainham South West recorded notably more other theft (31% above the national rate), and notably less public order (58% below) and anti-social behaviour (56% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 36 to 79 and shoplifting rose from 67 to 80, while anti-social behaviour fell from 98 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 186 | 19.8 | 34.2 | -15% |
| Shoplifting | 80 | 8.5 | 8.5 | +19% |
| Other theft | 79 | 8.4 | 6.4 | +119% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 63 | 6.7 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 39 | 4.2 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Public order | 26 | 2.8 | 6.7 | +13% |
| Vehicle crime | 26 | 2.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 16 | 1.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Rainham South West; the highest is Gillingham South (178.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Rainham South East (48.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Rainham South West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainham North | 937 | 63.0 | +7% |
| Rainham South East | 662 | 48.4 | -18% |
| Twydall | 688 | 75.9 | +29% |
| Hempstead & Wigmore | 507 | 52.8 | -10% |
| Watling | 1,924 | 120.1 | +105% |
| Luton | 1,454 | 140.5 | +139% |
| Princes Park | 650 | 63.8 | +9% |
| Gillingham South | 3,072 | 178.8 | +205% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Rainham South West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (88).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 88 |
| On or near Parking Area | 54 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 50 |
| On or near Crabtree Road | 24 |
| On or near Derwent Way | 23 |
| On or near Kendal Way | 22 |
| On or near Henley Close | 18 |
| On or near A2 | 15 |
| On or near Beacon Close | 11 |
| On or near Church Mews | 11 |
Of the 488 crimes in Rainham South West with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 63 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 203 | 41.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 164 | 33.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 8.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 25 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 15 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Rainham South West has an estimated population of 9,388 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.4%, against 17.1%), less private renting (9.8%, against 20.3%) and fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Rainham South West average decile 7.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Rainham South West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 83.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Rainham South West a safe place to live?
Rainham South West recorded 58.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,662nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other theft.
What is the most common crime in Rainham South West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 186 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (80).
Is crime in Rainham South West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Rainham South West was almost unchanged on the year before: 551 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 550 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Rainham South West?
About 9,388 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Rainham South West?
Rainham South West 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.