Crime in Sheerness, Swale: statistics, rates and trends
2,847 crimes were recorded in Sheerness, Swale in the 12 months to August 2026, 211.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Sheerness, Swale at a glance
- Crime trends in Sheerness, Swale
- Types of crime in Sheerness, Swale
- Sheerness, Swale compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Sheerness, Swale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Sheerness, Swale
- Demographics of Sheerness, Swale
- Questions about crime in Sheerness, Swale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (972), anti-social behaviour (699) and shoplifting (296) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 176th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Sheerness, Swale | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,847 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 211.0 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 13,496 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sheerness, Swale peaked in the year to August 2020 (3,180 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (2,599). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,847 | 211.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,599 | 192.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,891 | 214.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,701 | 200.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,907 | 215.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,880 | 213.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,180 | 235.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,811 | 208.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,148 | 233.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 263 |
| July 2026 | 324 |
| June 2026 | 220 |
| May 2026 | 243 |
| April 2026 | 235 |
| March 2026 | 263 |
| February 2026 | 231 |
| January 2026 | 266 |
| December 2025 | 239 |
| November 2025 | 196 |
| October 2025 | 179 |
| September 2025 | 188 |
Compared with England and Wales, Sheerness, Swale recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (3.4 times the national rate), criminal damage and arson (3.1 times the national rate) and shoplifting (2.6 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 172 to 296 and drugs rose from 52 to 88.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 972 | 72.0 | 34.2 | -12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 699 | 51.8 | 15.4 | +48% |
| Shoplifting | 296 | 21.9 | 8.5 | +72% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 285 | 21.1 | 6.7 | -1% |
| Other theft | 124 | 9.2 | 6.4 | +18% |
| Public order | 110 | 8.2 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Drugs | 88 | 6.5 | 3.3 | +69% |
| Other crime | 74 | 5.5 | 2.1 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 73 | 5.4 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Burglary | 62 | 4.6 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Possession of weapons | 31 | 2.3 | 1.0 | +24% |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Sheerness, Swale has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sheerness, Swale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queenborough and Halfway | 868 | 98.8 | -53% |
| Minster Cliffs | 542 | 64.7 | -69% |
| Sheppey Central | 717 | 75.8 | -64% |
| Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow | 240 | 41.9 | -80% |
| Kemsley | 478 | 73.2 | -65% |
| Sheppey East | 1,166 | 153.5 | -27% |
| Milton Regis | 759 | 112.2 | -47% |
| The Meads | 359 | 64.1 | -70% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Sheerness, Swale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (310).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 310 |
| On or near Supermarket | 211 |
| On or near Hare Street | 141 |
| On or near Royal Road | 104 |
| On or near Victory Street | 101 |
| On or near Richmond Street | 100 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 100 |
| On or near Alma Street | 78 |
| On or near Clyde Street | 63 |
| On or near Shrubsole Avenue | 63 |
Of the 2,148 crimes in Sheerness, Swale with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 699 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 794 | 37.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 697 | 32.4% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 192 | 8.9% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 168 | 7.8% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 93 | 4.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 80 | 3.7% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 66 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 23 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 18 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 15 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Sheerness, Swale has an estimated population of 13,496 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (36%, against 20%), more residents with no qualifications (31%, against 18%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (14%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sheerness, Swale average decile 1.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Sheerness, Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 13.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 30.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 34.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 41.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 36.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 100.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Sheerness, Swale a safe place to live?
Sheerness, Swale recorded 211.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 176th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Sheerness, Swale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 972 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (699).
Is crime in Sheerness, Swale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sheerness, Swale was up 10% on the year before: 2,847 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,599 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sheerness, Swale?
About 13,496 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sheerness, Swale?
Sheerness, 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.