Crime in Lenham and Harrietsham: statistics, rates and trends
459 crimes were recorded in Lenham and Harrietsham in the 12 months to August 2026, 83.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lenham and Harrietsham at a glance
- Crime trends in Lenham and Harrietsham
- Types of crime in Lenham and Harrietsham
- Lenham and Harrietsham compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Lenham and Harrietsham
- Streets with the most crime in Lenham and Harrietsham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lenham and Harrietsham
- Demographics of Lenham and Harrietsham
- Questions about crime in Lenham and Harrietsham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (145), shoplifting (100) and anti-social behaviour (84) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 557th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Lenham and Harrietsham | Maidstone | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 459 | 16,356 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 83.5 | 87.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 5,496 | 187,767 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Lenham and Harrietsham of any year here (459 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 459 | 83.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 456 | 83.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 436 | 79.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 341 | 62.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 399 | 72.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 403 | 73.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 325 | 59.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 400 | 72.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 391 | 71.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 43 |
| July 2026 | 42 |
| June 2026 | 52 |
| May 2026 | 42 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 27 |
| January 2026 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 36 |
| November 2025 | 35 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| September 2025 | 30 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lenham and Harrietsham recorded notably more shoplifting (2.2 times the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (23% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 58 to 84 and other theft rose from 28 to 36, while criminal damage and arson fell from 64 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 145 | 26.4 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Shoplifting | 100 | 18.2 | 8.5 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 84 | 15.3 | 15.4 | +45% |
| Other theft | 36 | 6.6 | 6.4 | +29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -53% |
| Vehicle crime | 19 | 3.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 2.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 9 | 1.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 9 | 1.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Lenham and Harrietsham; the highest is Maidstone (105.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Bearsted (34.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lenham and Harrietsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bearsted | 289 | 34.5 | -59% |
| Sittingbourne | 5,678 | 102.7 | +23% |
| Maidstone | 11,735 | 105.2 | +26% |
| Teynham | 436 | 81.5 | -2% |
| Coxheath | 619 | 58.6 | -30% |
| Staplehurst | 468 | 61.3 | -27% |
| Faversham | 2,049 | 90.9 | +9% |
| Ashford (Ashford) | 7,962 | 95.7 | +15% |
Harrietsham, Lenham & North Downs is the one area listed within Lenham and Harrietsham, with 82.1 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrietsham, Lenham & North Downs | Neighbourhood | 10,311 | 847 | 82.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 58% of the crime recorded in Lenham and Harrietsham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (98).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 98 |
| On or near Lenham | 33 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 27 |
| On or near Orchard Row | 22 |
| On or near Parking Area | 15 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 15 |
| On or near Honywood Road | 14 |
| On or near Loder Close | 14 |
| On or near Honywood Close | 13 |
| On or near Southfields Way | 13 |
Of the 375 crimes in Lenham and Harrietsham with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 84 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 157 | 41.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 133 | 35.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 28 | 7.5% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 3.7% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 8 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Lenham and Harrietsham has an estimated population of 5,496 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (9.3%, against 23.3%), fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lenham and Harrietsham average decile 5.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lenham and Harrietsham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lenham and Harrietsham a safe place to live?
Lenham and Harrietsham recorded 83.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 557th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Lenham and Harrietsham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 145 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (100).
Is crime in Lenham and Harrietsham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lenham and Harrietsham was almost unchanged on the year before: 459 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 456 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lenham and Harrietsham?
About 5,496 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lenham and Harrietsham?
Lenham and Harrietsham 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.