Crime in Westgate, Canterbury: statistics, rates and trends
3,309 crimes were recorded in Westgate, Canterbury in the 12 months to August 2026, 304.2 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Westgate, Canterbury at a glance
- Crime trends in Westgate, Canterbury
- Types of crime in Westgate, Canterbury
- Westgate, Canterbury compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Westgate, Canterbury
- What happened after crimes were reported in Westgate, Canterbury
- Demographics of Westgate, Canterbury
- Questions about crime in Westgate, Canterbury
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (924), anti-social behaviour (738) and shoplifting (615) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 65th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Westgate, Canterbury | Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,309 | 17,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 304.2 | 107.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 10,879 | 162,100 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Westgate, Canterbury peaked in the year to August 2018 (3,522 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,962). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 6%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,309 | 304.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,224 | 296.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,069 | 282.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,067 | 281.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,272 | 300.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,962 | 272.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,264 | 300.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,410 | 313.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,522 | 323.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 315 |
| July 2026 | 280 |
| June 2026 | 250 |
| May 2026 | 269 |
| April 2026 | 269 |
| March 2026 | 303 |
| February 2026 | 285 |
| January 2026 | 253 |
| December 2025 | 293 |
| November 2025 | 272 |
| October 2025 | 282 |
| September 2025 | 238 |
Compared with England and Wales, Westgate, Canterbury recorded notably more shoplifting (6.7 times the national rate), bicycle theft (5.1 times the national rate) and drugs (4.5 times the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 526 to 738 and burglary rose from 41 to 50, while other crime fell from 61 to 31 and theft from the person fell from 49 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 924 | 84.9 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 738 | 67.8 | 15.4 | +40% |
| Shoplifting | 615 | 56.5 | 8.5 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 253 | 23.3 | 6.7 | +18% |
| Other theft | 170 | 15.6 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Public order | 161 | 14.8 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Drugs | 160 | 14.7 | 3.3 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 56 | 5.1 | 5.0 | -36% |
| Burglary | 50 | 4.6 | 3.6 | +22% |
| Robbery | 48 | 4.4 | 1.4 | +7% |
| Bicycle theft | 46 | 4.2 | 0.8 | -8% |
| Other crime | 31 | 2.8 | 2.1 | -49% |
| Theft from the person | 29 | 2.7 | 1.7 | -41% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 2.6 | 1.0 | -26% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Westgate, Canterbury has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Westgate, Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wincheap | 1,259 | 111.2 | -63% |
| St Stephen's | 845 | 103.8 | -66% |
| Northgate | 2,017 | 244.0 | -20% |
| Barton | 1,904 | 151.3 | -50% |
| Blean Forest | 368 | 38.5 | -87% |
| Chartham & Stone Street | 494 | 64.2 | -79% |
| Sturry | 679 | 78.8 | -74% |
| Nailbourne | 160 | 38.1 | -87% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Westgate, Canterbury over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (401).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 401 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 219 |
| On or near Butchery Lane | 219 |
| On or near St Dunstan'S Street | 199 |
| On or near Best Lane | 152 |
| On or near Burgate Lane | 137 |
| On or near St George'S Lane | 106 |
| On or near High Street | 96 |
| On or near Parking Area | 96 |
| On or near Whitehorse Lane | 92 |
Of the 2,571 crimes in Westgate, Canterbury with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 738 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,013 | 39.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 695 | 27.0% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 252 | 9.8% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 216 | 8.4% | 3.1% |
| Under investigation | 169 | 6.6% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 101 | 3.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 70 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 24 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Westgate, Canterbury has an estimated population of 10,879 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (27.0%, against 7.9%), more private renting (44%, against 20%) and more households without a car (40%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Westgate, Canterbury average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Westgate, Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 13.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 27.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 44.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 40.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 40.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 44.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Westgate, Canterbury a safe place to live?
Westgate, Canterbury recorded 304.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 65th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Westgate, Canterbury?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 924 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (738).
Is crime in Westgate, Canterbury going up or down?
Recorded crime in Westgate, Canterbury was up 3% on the year before: 3,309 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,224 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Westgate, Canterbury?
About 10,879 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Westgate, Canterbury?
Westgate, Canterbury 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.