Crime in Shepway: statistics, rates and trends
1,267 crimes were recorded in Shepway in the 12 months to August 2026, 100.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (456), anti-social behaviour (272) and shoplifting (154) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,222nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Shepway | Maidstone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,267 | 16,356 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 100.5 | 87.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 12,601 | 187,767 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shepway peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,562 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,245). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 19%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,267 | 100.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,280 | 101.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,306 | 103.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,245 | 98.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,270 | 100.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,524 | 120.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,554 | 123.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,457 | 115.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,562 | 124.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 141 |
| July 2026 | 111 |
| June 2026 | 112 |
| May 2026 | 97 |
| April 2026 | 98 |
| March 2026 | 83 |
| February 2026 | 81 |
| January 2026 | 104 |
| December 2025 | 92 |
| November 2025 | 109 |
| October 2025 | 124 |
| September 2025 | 115 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shepway recorded notably more shoplifting (45% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (41% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (28% above the national rate), and notably less public order (42% below) and vehicle crime (28% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 42 to 52 and anti-social behaviour rose from 228 to 272, while other crime fell from 56 to 28 and criminal damage and arson fell from 139 to 109.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 456 | 36.2 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 272 | 21.6 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 154 | 12.2 | 8.5 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 109 | 8.7 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Other theft | 59 | 4.7 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Drugs | 52 | 4.1 | 3.3 | +24% |
| Public order | 49 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 45 | 3.6 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Other crime | 28 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -50% |
| Burglary | 15 | 1.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Shepway; the highest is High Street, Maidstone (278.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Bearsted & Downswood (35.0).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shepway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park Wood & Mangravet | 1,115 | 117.4 | +17% |
| High Street | 3,218 | 278.2 | +177% |
| Tovil | 459 | 70.0 | -30% |
| Loose & Linton | 669 | 64.0 | -36% |
| Bearsted & Downswood | 340 | 35.0 | -65% |
| Grove Green & Vinters Park | 409 | 50.7 | -50% |
| Boughton Monchelsea & Chart Sutton | 137 | 43.3 | -57% |
| Penenden Heath | 1,239 | 80.4 | -20% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Shepway over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (291).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 291 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 65 |
| On or near The Spinney | 44 |
| On or near South Park Road | 42 |
| On or near Lincoln Road | 40 |
| On or near Drawbridge Close | 36 |
| On or near Oxford Gardens | 35 |
| On or near The Beams | 35 |
| On or near Westmorland Road | 24 |
| On or near Lancashire Road | 22 |
Of the 995 crimes in Shepway with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 272 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 375 | 37.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 353 | 35.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 87 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 45 | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 32 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 25 | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Shepway has an estimated population of 12,601 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (29%, against 17%), less private renting (7.9%, against 20.3%) and more residents with no qualifications (26%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shepway average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Shepway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 20.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 25.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 63.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 7.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 12.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Shepway a safe place to live?
Shepway recorded 100.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,222nd 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 Shepway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 456 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (272).
Is crime in Shepway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shepway was down 1% on the year before: 1,267 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,280 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shepway?
About 12,601 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shepway?
Shepway 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.