Crime in Strood West: statistics, rates and trends
2,082 crimes were recorded in Strood West in the 12 months to August 2026, 118.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Strood West at a glance
- Crime trends in Strood West
- Types of crime in Strood West
- Strood West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Strood West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Strood West
- Demographics of Strood West
- Questions about crime in Strood West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (740), anti-social behaviour (447) and shoplifting (150) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 842nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Strood West | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,082 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 118.7 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 17,541 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Strood West peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,785 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (2,046). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,082 | 118.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,163 | 123.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,168 | 123.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,046 | 116.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,238 | 127.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,296 | 130.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,577 | 146.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,654 | 151.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,785 | 158.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 222 |
| July 2026 | 207 |
| June 2026 | 181 |
| May 2026 | 191 |
| April 2026 | 172 |
| March 2026 | 171 |
| February 2026 | 163 |
| January 2026 | 119 |
| December 2025 | 168 |
| November 2025 | 169 |
| October 2025 | 182 |
| September 2025 | 137 |
Compared with England and Wales, Strood West recorded notably more other crime (2.3 times the national rate), anti-social behaviour (66% above the national rate) and possession of weapons (41% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (39% below) and public order (32% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 48 to 85 and anti-social behaviour rose from 292 to 447, while shoplifting fell from 329 to 150 and burglary fell from 52 to 38.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 740 | 42.2 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 447 | 25.5 | 15.4 | +53% |
| Shoplifting | 150 | 8.6 | 8.5 | -54% |
| Other theft | 148 | 8.4 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 147 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 97 | 5.5 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Other crime | 85 | 4.8 | 2.1 | +77% |
| Drugs | 80 | 4.6 | 3.3 | -12% |
| Public order | 80 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Burglary | 38 | 2.2 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 20 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 19 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Strood West; the highest is Fort Pitt (283.4 per 1,000) and the lowest St Mary's Island (28.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Strood West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strood North & Frindsbury | 1,102 | 74.9 | -37% |
| Rochester West & Borstal | 1,726 | 131.7 | +11% |
| Rochester East & Warren Wood | 1,255 | 89.4 | -25% |
| Cuxton, Halling & Riverside | 329 | 49.7 | -58% |
| Fort Pitt | 3,397 | 283.4 | +139% |
| Chatham Central & Brompton | 3,304 | 164.8 | +39% |
| Strood Rural | 736 | 56.3 | -53% |
| St Mary's Island | 111 | 28.1 | -76% |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Strood West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (219).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 219 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 174 |
| On or near Tintagel Gardens | 99 |
| On or near Supermarket | 80 |
| On or near Taylor'S Lane | 64 |
| On or near Carnation Road | 57 |
| On or near Chariot Way | 56 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 53 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 48 |
| On or near Albatross Avenue | 43 |
Of the 1,635 crimes in Strood West with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 447 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 599 | 36.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 583 | 35.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 139 | 8.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 101 | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 56 | 3.4% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 48 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 41 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 16 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Strood West has an estimated population of 17,541 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%), more children (24%, against 18%) and a younger population (13%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Strood West average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Strood West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 9.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Strood West a safe place to live?
Strood West recorded 118.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 842nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Strood West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 740 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (447).
Is crime in Strood West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Strood West was down 4% on the year before: 2,082 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,163 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Strood West?
About 17,541 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Strood West?
Strood 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.