Crime in Watling, Medway: statistics, rates and trends
1,924 crimes were recorded in Watling, Medway in the 12 months to August 2026, 120.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Watling, Medway
- Questions about crime in Watling, Medway
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (685), anti-social behaviour (389) and shoplifting (170) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 828th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Watling, Medway | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,924 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 120.1 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 16,016 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Watling, Medway peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,605 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,772). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,924 | 120.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,772 | 110.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,915 | 119.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,319 | 144.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,415 | 150.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,605 | 162.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,484 | 155.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,300 | 143.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,487 | 155.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 117 |
| 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 |
Compared with England and Wales, Watling, Medway recorded notably more other crime (80% above the national rate), anti-social behaviour (58% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (54% above the national rate), and notably less public order (36% below) and burglary (28% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 264 to 389 and vehicle crime rose from 86 to 123, while public order fell from 93 to 68 and burglary fell from 49 to 41.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 685 | 42.8 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 389 | 24.3 | 15.4 | +47% |
| Shoplifting | 170 | 10.6 | 8.5 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 143 | 8.9 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 123 | 7.7 | 5.0 | +43% |
| Other theft | 99 | 6.2 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Public order | 68 | 4.2 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Other crime | 61 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Drugs | 59 | 3.7 | 3.3 | +18% |
| Burglary | 41 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Robbery | 31 | 1.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 18 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 1.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Watling, Medway; the highest is Fort Pitt (283.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Rainham South West (58.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Watling, Medway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham South | 3,072 | 178.8 | +49% |
| Luton | 1,454 | 140.5 | +17% |
| Gillingham North | 1,907 | 113.5 | -6% |
| Twydall | 688 | 75.9 | -37% |
| Chatham Central & Brompton | 3,304 | 164.8 | +37% |
| Princes Park | 650 | 63.8 | -47% |
| Fort Pitt | 3,397 | 283.4 | +136% |
| Rainham South West | 551 | 58.7 | -51% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Watling, Medway over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (136).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 136 |
| On or near Watling Street | 105 |
| On or near Beatty Avenue | 74 |
| On or near Barnsole Road | 66 |
| On or near Chester Road | 65 |
| On or near Priestfield Road | 64 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 63 |
| On or near Gillingham | 62 |
| On or near Glanville Road | 59 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 52 |
Of the 1,535 crimes in Watling, Medway with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 389 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 588 | 38.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 570 | 37.1% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 113 | 7.4% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 100 | 6.5% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 49 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 36 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 35 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Watling, Medway has an estimated population of 16,016 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (9.5%, against 17.1%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (26%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Watling, Medway average decile 4.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Watling, Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Watling, Medway a safe place to live?
Watling, Medway recorded 120.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 828th 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 Watling, Medway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 685 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (389).
Is crime in Watling, Medway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Watling, Medway was up 9% on the year before: 1,924 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,772 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Watling, Medway?
About 16,016 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Watling, Medway?
Watling, Medway 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.