Crime in Aylesham: statistics, rates and trends
481 crimes were recorded in Aylesham in the 12 months to August 2026, 74.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Aylesham at a glance
- Crime trends in Aylesham
- Types of crime in Aylesham
- Aylesham compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Aylesham
- Streets with the most crime in Aylesham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Aylesham
- Demographics of Aylesham
- Questions about crime in Aylesham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (173), anti-social behaviour (110) and shoplifting (49) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 702nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Aylesham | Dover | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 481 | 10,506 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 74.4 | 87.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +20% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 6,461 | 119,768 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Aylesham peaked in the year to August 2022 (492 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (349). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 481 | 74.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 402 | 62.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 413 | 63.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 349 | 54.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 492 | 76.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 432 | 66.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 448 | 69.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 464 | 71.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 438 | 67.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 43 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 39 |
| April 2026 | 33 |
| March 2026 | 45 |
| February 2026 | 29 |
| January 2026 | 29 |
| December 2025 | 30 |
| November 2025 | 40 |
| October 2025 | 45 |
| September 2025 | 33 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and other theft (38% below) and violence and sexual offences (22% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 62 to 110 and criminal damage and arson rose from 35 to 48.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 173 | 26.8 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 110 | 17.0 | 15.4 | +77% |
| Shoplifting | 49 | 7.6 | 8.5 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 48 | 7.4 | 6.7 | +37% |
| Other theft | 26 | 4.0 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Public order | 14 | 2.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 14 | 2.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 12 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 10 | 1.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Aylesham; the highest is Canterbury (165.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Hawkinge (51.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Aylesham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitfield (Dover) | 453 | 68.9 | -7% |
| Canterbury | 9,598 | 165.8 | +123% |
| Dover | 5,526 | 150.1 | +102% |
| Hawkinge | 446 | 51.3 | -31% |
| Deal | 1,783 | 61.7 | -17% |
| Herne | 821 | 57.0 | -23% |
| Folkestone | 6,682 | 123.7 | +66% |
| Herne Bay | 2,506 | 101.8 | +37% |
Aylesham, Eythorne & Shepherdswell is the one area listed within Aylesham, with 65.1 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aylesham, Eythorne & Shepherdswell | Neighbourhood | 12,945 | 843 | 65.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Aylesham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (52).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 52 |
| On or near Church View | 31 |
| On or near Heritage Road | 25 |
| On or near Parking Area | 22 |
| On or near Bell Grove | 20 |
| On or near Garner Drive | 16 |
| On or near Queens Road | 16 |
| On or near Attlee Avenue | 14 |
| On or near Windermere Gardens | 14 |
| On or near Mexborough Square | 13 |
Of the 371 crimes in Aylesham 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 110 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 152 | 41.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 122 | 32.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 33 | 8.9% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 4.3% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 7 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Aylesham has an estimated population of 6,461 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (8.1%, against 20.3%), a younger population (12%, against 19%) and more social housing (24%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Aylesham average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Aylesham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 25.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 8.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Aylesham a safe place to live?
Aylesham recorded 74.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 702nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Aylesham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 173 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (110).
Is crime in Aylesham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Aylesham was up 20% on the year before: 481 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 402 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Aylesham?
About 6,461 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Aylesham?
Aylesham 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.