Crime in Deal: statistics, rates and trends
1,783 crimes were recorded in Deal in the 12 months to August 2026, 61.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 19% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (779), anti-social behaviour (352) and criminal damage and arson (183) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 928th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Deal | Dover | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,783 | 10,506 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 61.7 | 87.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -19% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 28,885 | 119,768 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Deal of any year here (1,783 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 40%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,783 | 61.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,197 | 76.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,460 | 85.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,445 | 84.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,550 | 88.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,765 | 95.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,942 | 101.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,927 | 101.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,981 | 103.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 213 |
| July 2026 | 222 |
| June 2026 | 105 |
| May 2026 | 143 |
| April 2026 | 141 |
| March 2026 | 141 |
| February 2026 | 129 |
| January 2026 | 125 |
| December 2025 | 162 |
| November 2025 | 146 |
| October 2025 | 114 |
| September 2025 | 142 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (79% below) and public order (69% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting fell from 99 to 51 and public order fell from 107 to 60.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 779 | 27.0 | 34.2 | -17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 352 | 12.2 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 183 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 125 | 4.3 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 69 | 2.4 | 5.0 | -42% |
| Public order | 60 | 2.1 | 6.7 | -44% |
| Shoplifting | 51 | 1.8 | 8.5 | -48% |
| Other crime | 50 | 1.7 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Drugs | 45 | 1.6 | 3.3 | -8% |
| Burglary | 35 | 1.2 | 3.6 | -27% |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Deal; the highest is Dover (150.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Hawkinge (51.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitfield (Dover) | 453 | 68.9 | +12% |
| Dover | 5,526 | 150.1 | +143% |
| Aylesham | 481 | 74.4 | +21% |
| Ramsgate | 5,841 | 136.5 | +121% |
| Broadstairs | 1,854 | 74.5 | +21% |
| Margate | 7,858 | 123.2 | +100% |
| Hawkinge | 446 | 51.3 | -17% |
| Folkestone | 6,682 | 123.7 | +100% |
Of the 4 areas within Deal, North Deal had the highest crime rate (87.8 per 1,000) and Walmer the lowest (43.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Deal | Neighbourhood | 6,541 | 574 | 87.8 |
| Middle Deal | Neighbourhood | 7,342 | 502 | 68.4 |
| Mill Hill | Neighbourhood | 7,910 | 399 | 50.4 |
| Walmer | Neighbourhood | 7,092 | 308 | 43.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in Deal over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (120).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 120 |
| On or near South Street | 66 |
| On or near Stockdale Gardens | 60 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 35 |
| On or near Freemen'S Way | 34 |
| On or near Broad Street | 32 |
| On or near Anchor Lane | 29 |
| On or near Hamilton Road | 28 |
| On or near Telegraph Road | 25 |
| On or near Birdwood Avenue | 24 |
Of the 1,431 crimes in Deal 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 352 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 602 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 479 | 33.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 132 | 9.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 57 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 39 | 2.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 37 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 32 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 13 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Deal has an estimated population of 28,885 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), more retired residents (33%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Deal average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Deal | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 49.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Deal a safe place to live?
Deal recorded 61.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 928th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Deal?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 779 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (352).
Is crime in Deal going up or down?
Recorded crime in Deal was down 19% on the year before: 1,783 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,197 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Deal?
About 28,885 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Deal?
Deal 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.