Crime in Watling, Medway: statistics, rates and trends
1,961 crimes were recorded in Watling, Medway in the 12 months to July 2026, 122.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Watling, Medway at a glance
- Crime trends in Watling, Medway
- Types of crime in Watling, Medway
- Watling, Medway compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Watling, Medway
- What happened after crimes were reported in Watling, Medway
- Population and deprivation in Watling, Medway
- Questions about crime in Watling, Medway
- About this data
1,961 crimes were recorded in Watling, Medway in the 12 months to July 2026, 122.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 11% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 701 reports (36% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Watling, Medway has the 795th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Watling, Medway | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,961 | 29,852 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 122.4 | 102.0 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +11% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 16,016 | 292,655 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Watling, Medway was highest in the year to July 2021 (2,637 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2025 (1,771). Over the whole period it fell 22%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,961 | 122.4 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,771 | 110.6 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,960 | 122.4 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 2,341 | 146.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 2,379 | 148.5 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 2,637 | 164.6 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 2,476 | 154.6 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 2,296 | 143.4 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 2,500 | 156.1 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 163 |
| June 2026 | 151 |
| May 2026 | 179 |
| April 2026 | 250 |
| March 2026 | 165 |
| February 2026 | 154 |
| January 2026 | 154 |
| December 2025 | 128 |
| November 2025 | 148 |
| October 2025 | 142 |
| September 2025 | 173 |
| August 2025 | 154 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Watling, Medway over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+54%) and vehicle crime (+49%). The largest falls were in public order (-29%) and shoplifting (-23%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 701 | 43.8 | 1.28 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 389 | 24.3 | 1.58 | +54% |
| Shoplifting | 164 | 10.2 | 1.24 | -23% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 156 | 9.7 | 1.44 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 125 | 7.8 | 1.58 | +49% |
| Other theft | 104 | 6.5 | 1.02 | +11% |
| Public order | 69 | 4.3 | 0.65 | -29% |
| Other crime | 62 | 3.9 | 1.83 | +3% |
| Drugs | 58 | 3.6 | 1.11 | +4% |
| Burglary | 43 | 2.7 | 0.76 | -16% |
| Robbery | 30 | 1.9 | 1.39 | +43% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 1.4 | 1.41 | +144% |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 1.2 | 1.52 | +122% |
| Theft from the person | 18 | 1.1 | 0.67 | +64% |
Violence and sexual offences in Watling, Medway
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Watling, Medway recorded 701 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (43.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 6% on the year before. It made up 35.7% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Watling, Medway
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Watling, Medway recorded 389 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (24.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 54% on the year before. It made up 19.8% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Watling, Medway
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Watling, Medway recorded 164 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 8.4% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Watling, Medway
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Watling, Medway recorded 156 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 8.0% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Watling, Medway
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Watling, Medway recorded 125 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 49% on the year before. It made up 6.4% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Watling, Medway
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Watling, Medway recorded 104 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.5 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 11% on the year before. It made up 5.3% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Watling, Medway
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Watling, Medway recorded 69 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 29% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Watling, Medway
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Watling, Medway recorded 62 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 3.2% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Watling, Medway
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Watling, Medway recorded 58 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 4% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Watling, Medway
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Watling, Medway recorded 43 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 16% on the year before. It made up 2.2% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Watling, Medway
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Watling, Medway recorded 30 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 43% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Watling, Medway
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Watling, Medway recorded 22 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 144% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Watling, Medway
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Watling, Medway recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 122% on the year before. It made up 1.0% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Watling, Medway
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Watling, Medway recorded 18 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 64% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Watling, Medway, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Watling, Medway.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Watling, Medway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham South | 3,144 | 183.0 | +49% |
| Luton | 1,437 | 138.8 | +13% |
| Gillingham North | 1,902 | 113.2 | -8% |
| Twydall | 704 | 77.7 | -37% |
| Chatham Central & Brompton | 3,231 | 161.1 | +32% |
| Princes Park | 644 | 63.2 | -48% |
| Fort Pitt | 3,380 | 282.0 | +130% |
| Rainham South West | 551 | 58.7 | -52% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Watling, Medway over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 138 |
| On or near Watling Street | 104 |
| On or near Beatty Avenue | 74 |
| On or near Priestfield Road | 70 |
| On or near Barnsole Road | 67 |
| On or near Chester Road | 67 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 67 |
| On or near Glanville Road | 66 |
| On or near Gillingham | 61 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 52 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Watling, Medway over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 594 | 30.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 567 | 28.9% |
| Not recorded | 389 | 19.8% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 120 | 6.1% |
| Under investigation | 118 | 6.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 2.8% |
| Status update unavailable | 44 | 2.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 30 | 1.5% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 1.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% |
Watling, Medway has an estimated population of 16,016. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Watling, Medway sits in decile 4.6, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Watling, Medway |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 62.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.7% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.1% |
| Social rented homes | 9.5% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 |
Is Watling, Medway a safe place to live?
Watling, Medway recorded 122.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Watling, Medway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 701 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (389).
Is crime in Watling, Medway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Watling, Medway was up 11% on the year before: 1,961 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,771 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Watling, Medway?
Watling, Medway is policed by Kent. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Watling, Medway. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.