Crime in Watling, Swale: statistics, rates and trends
383 crimes were recorded in Watling, Swale in the 12 months to August 2026, 56.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 24% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Watling, Swale at a glance
- Crime trends in Watling, Swale
- Types of crime in Watling, Swale
- Watling, Swale compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Watling, Swale
- What happened after crimes were reported in Watling, Swale
- Demographics of Watling, Swale
- Questions about crime in Watling, Swale
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (128), anti-social behaviour (82) and criminal damage and arson (37) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,740th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Watling, Swale | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 383 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 56.8 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -24% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 6,744 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Watling, Swale of any year here (383 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 383 | 56.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 503 | 74.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 475 | 70.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 484 | 71.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 485 | 71.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 506 | 75.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 488 | 72.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 483 | 71.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 454 | 67.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 34 |
| July 2026 | 40 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 31 |
| April 2026 | 23 |
| March 2026 | 29 |
| February 2026 | 22 |
| January 2026 | 30 |
| December 2025 | 36 |
| November 2025 | 43 |
| October 2025 | 33 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (51% below) and violence and sexual offences (45% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 26 to 33, while anti-social behaviour fell from 126 to 82 and criminal damage and arson fell from 49 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 128 | 19.0 | 34.2 | -21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 82 | 12.2 | 15.4 | -35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 37 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Vehicle crime | 33 | 4.9 | 5.0 | +27% |
| Public order | 22 | 3.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other theft | 19 | 2.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 2.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 15 | 2.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 14 | 2.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 0.9 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Watling, Swale; the highest is Roman, Swale (211.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Boughton and Courtenay (44.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Watling, Swale |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Ann's | 446 | 83.1 | +46% |
| Abbey | 843 | 120.3 | +112% |
| Priory | 377 | 110.0 | +94% |
| Boughton and Courtenay | 263 | 44.2 | -22% |
| Teynham and Lynsted | 592 | 82.4 | +45% |
| Murston | 825 | 114.0 | +101% |
| West Downs | 257 | 81.7 | +44% |
| Roman | 1,631 | 211.7 | +273% |
The 10 locations below account for 55% of the crime recorded in Watling, Swale over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Bensted Grove” (46).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Bensted Grove | 46 |
| On or near Sumpter Way | 28 |
| On or near Lewis Close | 26 |
| On or near Costard Drive | 21 |
| On or near Willow Avenue | 19 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 17 |
| On or near Beaumont Davy Close | 16 |
| On or near Hilton Close | 15 |
| On or near Athelstan Road | 12 |
| On or near Codling Drive | 12 |
Of the 301 crimes in Watling, Swale with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 82 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 122 | 40.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 98 | 32.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 21 | 7.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 12 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Watling, Swale has an estimated population of 6,744 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (11%, against 20%), fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Watling, Swale average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Watling, Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Watling, Swale a safe place to live?
Watling, Swale recorded 56.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,740th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Watling, Swale?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 128 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (82).
Is crime in Watling, Swale going up or down?
Recorded crime in Watling, Swale was down 24% on the year before: 383 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 503 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Watling, Swale?
About 6,744 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Watling, Swale?
Watling, Swale 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.