Crime in Herne: statistics, rates and trends
821 crimes were recorded in Herne in the 12 months to August 2026, 57.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 15% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (381), anti-social behaviour (157) and criminal damage and arson (75) made up 75% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,016th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Herne | Canterbury | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 821 | 17,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 57.0 | 107.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +15% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 14,401 | 162,100 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Herne peaked in the year to August 2021 (952 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (712). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 821 | 57.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 712 | 49.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 784 | 54.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 864 | 60.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 892 | 61.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 952 | 66.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 770 | 53.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 779 | 54.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 882 | 61.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 79 |
| July 2026 | 67 |
| June 2026 | 73 |
| May 2026 | 78 |
| April 2026 | 72 |
| March 2026 | 70 |
| February 2026 | 57 |
| January 2026 | 68 |
| December 2025 | 62 |
| November 2025 | 54 |
| October 2025 | 70 |
| September 2025 | 71 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (77% below) and vehicle crime (68% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 90 to 157, while vehicle crime fell from 28 to 23 and public order fell from 26 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 381 | 26.5 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 157 | 10.9 | 15.4 | +74% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 75 | 5.2 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Other theft | 55 | 3.8 | 6.4 | +10% |
| Drugs | 35 | 2.4 | 3.3 | +13% |
| Other crime | 23 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 23 | 1.6 | 5.0 | -18% |
| Public order | 22 | 1.5 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Burglary | 20 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 17 | 1.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Herne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herne Bay | 2,506 | 101.8 | +79% |
| Whitstable | 2,675 | 86.1 | +51% |
| Canterbury | 9,598 | 165.8 | +191% |
| Aylesham | 481 | 74.4 | +31% |
| Margate | 7,858 | 123.2 | +116% |
| Faversham | 2,049 | 90.9 | +59% |
| Ramsgate | 5,841 | 136.5 | +140% |
| Broadstairs | 1,854 | 74.5 | +31% |
Of the 2 areas within Herne, Greenhill had the highest crime rate (64.4 per 1,000) and Herne & Broomfield the lowest (41.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhill | Neighbourhood | 3,728 | 240 | 64.4 |
| Herne & Broomfield | Neighbourhood | 10,163 | 418 | 41.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Herne over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Herne Bay” (49).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Herne Bay | 49 |
| On or near Bridle Way | 32 |
| On or near Thanet Way | 31 |
| On or near Plaxton Way | 30 |
| On or near Mill Lane (North) | 26 |
| On or near Robinson Road | 26 |
| On or near Parking Area | 25 |
| On or near Owls Hatch Road | 19 |
| On or near Bristol Close | 18 |
| On or near Laver Road | 18 |
Of the 664 crimes in Herne with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 157 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 295 | 44.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 199 | 30.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 62 | 9.3% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 3.8% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Herne has an estimated population of 14,401 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.2%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and less private renting (14%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Herne average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Herne | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Herne a safe place to live?
Herne recorded 57.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,016th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Herne?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 381 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (157).
Is crime in Herne going up or down?
Recorded crime in Herne was up 15% on the year before: 821 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 712 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Herne?
About 14,401 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Herne?
Herne 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.