Crime in The Meads: statistics, rates and trends
359 crimes were recorded in The Meads in the 12 months to August 2026, 64.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 21% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in The Meads at a glance
- Crime trends in The Meads
- Types of crime in The Meads
- The Meads compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in The Meads
- What happened after crimes were reported in The Meads
- Demographics of The Meads
- Questions about crime in The Meads
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (129), anti-social behaviour (66) and other theft (32) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,472nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | The Meads | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 359 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 64.1 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -21% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 5,601 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in The Meads of any year here (359 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 63%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 359 | 64.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 456 | 81.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 549 | 98.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 701 | 125.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 710 | 126.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 742 | 132.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 881 | 157.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 877 | 156.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 958 | 171.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 48 |
| July 2026 | 41 |
| June 2026 | 33 |
| May 2026 | 32 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 24 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 38 |
| December 2025 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 18 |
| September 2025 | 17 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (35% below) and violence and sexual offences (33% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 22 to 32, while criminal damage and arson fell from 52 to 30 and shoplifting fell from 52 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 129 | 23.0 | 34.2 | -28% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 66 | 11.8 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Other theft | 32 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +45% |
| Shoplifting | 31 | 5.5 | 8.5 | -40% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -42% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 3.6 | 5.0 | -5% |
| Other crime | 11 | 2.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 11 | 2.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 8 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than The Meads; the highest is Roman, Swale (211.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow (41.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs The Meads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chalkwell | 522 | 128.8 | +101% |
| Borden and Grove Park | 347 | 57.2 | -11% |
| Milton Regis | 759 | 112.2 | +75% |
| Homewood | 410 | 70.5 | +10% |
| Kemsley | 478 | 73.2 | +14% |
| Woodstock | 311 | 47.1 | -26% |
| Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow | 240 | 41.9 | -35% |
| Roman | 1,631 | 211.7 | +230% |
The 10 locations below account for 62% of the crime recorded in The Meads over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sheppey Way” (54).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sheppey Way | 54 |
| On or near Quinton Road | 36 |
| On or near Spinel Close | 27 |
| On or near Anatase Close | 21 |
| On or near Quartz Way | 21 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 16 |
| On or near Ledger Close | 15 |
| On or near Knightsfield Road | 14 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 10 |
| On or near Cold Harbour Lane | 9 |
Of the 293 crimes in The Meads with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 66 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 121 | 41.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 86 | 29.4% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 24 | 8.2% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 24 | 8.2% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
The Meads has an estimated population of 5,601 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (8.5%, against 23.3%), less social housing (8.0%, against 17.1%) and a younger population (11%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up The Meads average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | The Meads | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 74.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 8.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is The Meads a safe place to live?
The Meads recorded 64.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,472nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in The Meads?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 129 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (66).
Is crime in The Meads going up or down?
Recorded crime in The Meads was down 21% on the year before: 359 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 456 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of The Meads?
About 5,601 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers The Meads?
The Meads 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.