Crime in Minster (Swale): statistics, rates and trends
1,282 crimes were recorded in Minster (Swale) in the 12 months to July 2026, 71.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- 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)
- Population and deprivation in Minster (Swale)
- Questions about crime in Minster (Swale)
- About this data
1,282 crimes were recorded in Minster (Swale) in the 12 months to July 2026, 71.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 6% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 494 reports (39% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Minster (Swale) has the 759th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Minster (Swale) | Swale | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,282 | 15,724 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.9 | 99.3 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -6% | -1% |
| Population | 17,842 | 158,379 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Minster (Swale) was highest in the year to July 2018 (1,651 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2023 (1,194). Over the whole period it fell 22%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,282 | 71.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,364 | 76.4 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,208 | 67.7 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,194 | 66.9 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,392 | 78.0 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,489 | 83.5 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,527 | 85.6 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,366 | 76.6 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,651 | 92.5 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 123 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Minster (Swale) over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for other crime.
The largest increases were in other crime (+42%) and vehicle crime (+16%). The largest falls were in public order (-47%) and drugs (-31%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 494 | 27.7 | 0.81 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 324 | 18.2 | 1.18 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 136 | 7.6 | 1.12 | -7% |
| Other theft | 71 | 4.0 | 0.62 | -15% |
| Vehicle crime | 64 | 3.6 | 0.73 | +16% |
| Other crime | 51 | 2.9 | 1.35 | +42% |
| Shoplifting | 31 | 1.7 | 0.21 | +7% |
| Public order | 29 | 1.6 | 0.24 | -47% |
| Burglary | 27 | 1.5 | 0.43 | -27% |
| Drugs | 27 | 1.5 | 0.46 | -31% |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 1.0 | 0.98 | -26% |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.3 | 0.21 | -17% |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.2 | 0.27 | -20% |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 0.07 | +0% |
Violence and sexual offences in Minster (Swale)
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Minster (Swale) recorded 494 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (27.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 38.5% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Minster (Swale)
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Minster (Swale) recorded 324 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (18.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 25.3% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Minster (Swale)
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Minster (Swale) recorded 136 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 7% on the year before. It made up 10.6% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Minster (Swale)
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Minster (Swale) recorded 71 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 15% on the year before. It made up 5.5% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Minster (Swale)
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Minster (Swale) recorded 64 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and up 16% on the year before. It made up 5.0% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Minster (Swale)
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Minster (Swale) recorded 51 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 42% on the year before. It made up 4.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Minster (Swale)
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Minster (Swale) recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 2.4% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Minster (Swale)
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Minster (Swale) recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 47% on the year before. It made up 2.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Minster (Swale)
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Minster (Swale) recorded 27 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Minster (Swale)
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Minster (Swale) recorded 27 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 31% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Minster (Swale)
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Minster (Swale) recorded 17 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 26% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Minster (Swale)
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Minster (Swale) recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Minster (Swale)
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Minster (Swale) recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 0.3% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Minster (Swale)
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Minster (Swale) recorded 2 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 0.2% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Minster (Swale), for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Minster (Swale).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Minster (Swale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halfway Houses | 295 | 57.9 | -19% |
| Sheerness | 2,818 | 208.8 | +191% |
| Sittingbourne | 5,611 | 101.5 | +41% |
| Teynham | 411 | 76.8 | +7% |
| Faversham | 2,109 | 93.5 | +30% |
| Great Wakering | 366 | 51.4 | -29% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 20,967 | 113.2 | +58% |
| Gillingham (Medway) | 11,481 | 99.7 | +39% |
2 areas within Minster (Swale), ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Sheppey Central had the highest rate (77.3 per 1,000) and Minster Cliffs the lowest (65.7). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheppey Central | Neighbourhood | 9,459 | 731 | 77.3 |
| Minster Cliffs | Neighbourhood | 8,383 | 551 | 65.7 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Minster (Swale) over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Old Billet Lane | 40 |
| On or near Bell Farm Lane | 38 |
| On or near Myrtle Road | 37 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 37 |
| On or near The Maples | 33 |
| On or near Parking Area | 30 |
| On or near Hopsons Place | 25 |
| On or near Minster Road | 25 |
| On or near Petunia Avenue | 22 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 21 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Minster (Swale) over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 405 | 31.6% |
| Not recorded | 324 | 25.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 320 | 25.0% |
| Under investigation | 89 | 6.9% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 41 | 3.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 37 | 2.9% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 1.9% |
| Court result unavailable | 19 | 1.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 1.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% |
Minster (Swale) has an estimated population of 17,842. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Minster (Swale) sits in decile 4.1, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Minster (Swale) |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.2% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 58.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.2% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.4% |
| Social rented homes | 9.9% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.1 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 8.2% |
Is Minster (Swale) a safe place to live?
Minster (Swale) recorded 71.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Minster (Swale)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 494 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (324).
Is crime in Minster (Swale) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Minster (Swale) was down 6% on the year before: 1,282 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,364 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Minster (Swale)?
Minster (Swale) is policed by Kent. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Minster (Swale). Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.