Crime in Minster (Swale): statistics, rates and trends
1,259 crimes were recorded in Minster (Swale) in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Minster (Swale) at a glance
- Crime trends in Minster (Swale)
- Types of crime in Minster (Swale)
- Minster (Swale) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Minster (Swale)
- Streets with the most crime in Minster (Swale)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Minster (Swale)
- Demographics of Minster (Swale)
- Questions about crime in Minster (Swale)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (480), anti-social behaviour (314) and criminal damage and arson (133) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 763rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Minster (Swale) | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,259 | 15,704 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.6 | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -5% | -1% |
| Population | 17,842 | 158,379 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Minster (Swale) peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,692 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,190). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,259 | 70.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,345 | 75.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,238 | 69.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,190 | 66.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,370 | 76.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,467 | 82.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,559 | 87.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,308 | 73.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,692 | 94.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 100 |
| July 2026 | 138 |
| June 2026 | 101 |
| May 2026 | 112 |
| April 2026 | 92 |
| March 2026 | 124 |
| February 2026 | 95 |
| January 2026 | 107 |
| December 2025 | 97 |
| November 2025 | 105 |
| October 2025 | 100 |
| September 2025 | 88 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (78% below) and public order (73% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 48 to 67, while burglary fell from 39 to 23 and public order fell from 52 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 480 | 26.9 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 314 | 17.6 | 15.4 | +3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 133 | 7.5 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 75 | 4.2 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Vehicle crime | 67 | 3.8 | 5.0 | +40% |
| Other crime | 42 | 2.4 | 2.1 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 33 | 1.8 | 8.5 | +10% |
| Public order | 32 | 1.8 | 6.7 | -38% |
| Drugs | 30 | 1.7 | 3.3 | -21% |
| Burglary | 23 | 1.3 | 3.6 | -41% |
| Possession of weapons | 18 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Minster (Swale); the highest is Sheerness (211.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Great Wakering (51.2).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Minster (Swale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halfway Houses | 283 | 55.6 | -21% |
| Sheerness | 2,847 | 211.0 | +199% |
| Sittingbourne | 5,678 | 102.7 | +46% |
| Teynham | 436 | 81.5 | +16% |
| Faversham | 2,049 | 90.9 | +29% |
| Great Wakering | 365 | 51.2 | -27% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 21,255 | 114.7 | +63% |
| Gillingham (Medway) | 11,367 | 98.7 | +40% |
Of the 2 areas within Minster (Swale), Sheppey Central had the highest crime rate (75.8 per 1,000) and Minster Cliffs the lowest (64.7).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheppey Central | Neighbourhood | 9,459 | 717 | 75.8 |
| Minster Cliffs | Neighbourhood | 8,383 | 542 | 64.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 23% of the crime recorded in Minster (Swale) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Old Billet Lane” (39).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Old Billet Lane | 39 |
| On or near Myrtle Road | 38 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 36 |
| On or near Bell Farm Lane | 31 |
| On or near The Maples | 29 |
| On or near Parking Area | 27 |
| On or near Hopsons Place | 24 |
| On or near Minster Road | 24 |
| On or near Camellia Road | 21 |
| On or near Magpie Court | 19 |
Of the 945 crimes in Minster (Swale) with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 314 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 394 | 41.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 320 | 33.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 95 | 10.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 41 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 30 | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 25 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further 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% |
Minster (Swale) has an estimated population of 17,842 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%), fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (19%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Minster (Swale) average decile 4.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Minster (Swale) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 18.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 8.2% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Minster (Swale) a safe place to live?
Minster (Swale) recorded 70.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 763rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Minster (Swale)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 480 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (314).
Is crime in Minster (Swale) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Minster (Swale) was down 6% on the year before: 1,259 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,345 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Minster (Swale)?
About 17,842 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Minster (Swale)?
Minster (Swale) 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.