Crime in Bearsted: statistics, rates and trends
289 crimes were recorded in Bearsted in the 12 months to August 2026, 34.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bearsted at a glance
- Crime trends in Bearsted
- Types of crime in Bearsted
- Bearsted compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bearsted
- Streets with the most crime in Bearsted
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bearsted
- Demographics of Bearsted
- Questions about crime in Bearsted
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (112), anti-social behaviour (78) and other theft (23) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,352nd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Bearsted | Maidstone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 289 | 16,356 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 34.5 | 87.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 8,386 | 187,767 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bearsted peaked in the year to August 2018 (344 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (266). 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 | 289 | 34.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 279 | 33.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 276 | 32.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 301 | 35.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 294 | 35.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 324 | 38.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 286 | 34.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 266 | 31.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 344 | 41.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 26 |
| July 2026 | 28 |
| June 2026 | 30 |
| May 2026 | 28 |
| April 2026 | 23 |
| March 2026 | 17 |
| February 2026 | 22 |
| January 2026 | 31 |
| December 2025 | 32 |
| November 2025 | 19 |
| October 2025 | 18 |
| September 2025 | 15 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (61% below) and other theft (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 32 to 78.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 112 | 13.4 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 78 | 9.3 | 15.4 | +144% |
| Other theft | 23 | 2.7 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 15 | 1.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 15 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 11 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 10 | 1.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 10 | 1.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Bearsted.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bearsted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maidstone | 11,735 | 105.2 | +205% |
| Coxheath | 619 | 58.6 | +70% |
| Lenham and Harrietsham | 459 | 83.5 | +142% |
| Larkfield | 2,052 | 70.4 | +104% |
| Chatham | 10,149 | 126.7 | +268% |
| Snodland | 1,211 | 98.9 | +187% |
| Kings Hill | 494 | 49.1 | +43% |
| Gillingham (Medway) | 11,367 | 98.7 | +186% |
Bearsted & Downswood is the one area listed within Bearsted, with 35.0 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearsted & Downswood | Neighbourhood | 9,723 | 340 | 35.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Bearsted over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (23).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 23 |
| On or near Forge Lane | 13 |
| On or near Spot Lane | 13 |
| On or near Otham Lane | 12 |
| On or near Supermarket | 12 |
| On or near Gascoyne Close | 11 |
| On or near Lilk Hill | 11 |
| On or near Roundwell | 11 |
| On or near The Street | 10 |
| On or near Cross Keys | 9 |
Of the 211 crimes in Bearsted with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 78 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 85 | 40.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 82 | 38.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 12 | 5.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 3.3% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
Bearsted has an estimated population of 8,386 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (2.8%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (8.7%, against 23.3%) and more retired residents (33%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bearsted average decile 9.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Bearsted | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 33.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 8.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 86.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 2.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bearsted a safe place to live?
Bearsted recorded 34.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,352nd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Bearsted?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 112 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (78).
Is crime in Bearsted going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bearsted was up 4% on the year before: 289 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 279 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bearsted?
About 8,386 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bearsted?
Bearsted 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.