Crime in Swanscombe: statistics, rates and trends
1,476 crimes were recorded in Swanscombe in the 12 months to August 2026, 92.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Swanscombe at a glance
- Crime trends in Swanscombe
- Types of crime in Swanscombe
- Swanscombe compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Swanscombe
- Streets with the most crime in Swanscombe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Swanscombe
- Demographics of Swanscombe
- Questions about crime in Swanscombe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (464), anti-social behaviour (287) and criminal damage and arson (176) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 437th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Swanscombe | Dartford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,476 | 13,370 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 92.6 | 107.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 15,948 | 125,011 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Swanscombe of any year here (1,476 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,476 | 92.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,526 | 95.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,478 | 92.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,000 | 125.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,006 | 125.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,225 | 139.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,385 | 149.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,850 | 116.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,052 | 128.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 117 |
| July 2026 | 110 |
| June 2026 | 109 |
| May 2026 | 133 |
| April 2026 | 170 |
| March 2026 | 135 |
| February 2026 | 103 |
| January 2026 | 119 |
| December 2025 | 112 |
| November 2025 | 128 |
| October 2025 | 123 |
| September 2025 | 117 |
Compared with England and Wales, Swanscombe recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.4 times the national rate), other crime (81% above the national rate) and criminal damage and arson (64% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (67% below) and public order (47% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 197 to 287, while burglary fell from 62 to 38 and drugs fell from 78 to 58.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 464 | 29.1 | 34.2 | -21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 287 | 18.0 | 15.4 | +46% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 176 | 11.0 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 114 | 7.1 | 6.4 | +1% |
| Vehicle crime | 114 | 7.1 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Other crime | 61 | 3.8 | 2.1 | +9% |
| Drugs | 58 | 3.6 | 3.3 | -26% |
| Public order | 56 | 3.5 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 44 | 2.8 | 8.5 | -10% |
| Burglary | 38 | 2.4 | 3.6 | -39% |
| Possession of weapons | 37 | 2.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 21 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Swanscombe; the highest is Tilbury (137.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Ebbsfleet Valley (50.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Swanscombe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ebbsfleet Valley | 378 | 50.9 | -45% |
| Stone (Dartford) | 381 | 70.8 | -24% |
| Northfleet | 2,830 | 94.2 | +2% |
| Chafford Hundred and West Thurrock | 2,816 | 135.8 | +47% |
| Grays | 4,655 | 101.2 | +9% |
| Tilbury | 2,132 | 137.1 | +48% |
| Dartford | 7,106 | 98.0 | +6% |
| Purfleet-on-Thames | 448 | 81.3 | -12% |
Of the 2 areas within Swanscombe, Swanscombe had the highest crime rate (119.9 per 1,000) and Greenhithe & Knockhall the lowest (63.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swanscombe | Neighbourhood | 8,254 | 990 | 119.9 |
| Greenhithe & Knockhall | Neighbourhood | 7,694 | 486 | 63.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Swanscombe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (109).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 109 |
| On or near Keary Road | 54 |
| On or near Craylands Square | 42 |
| On or near Gunn Road | 38 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Galley Hill Road | 32 |
| On or near Southfleet Road | 30 |
| On or near High Street | 29 |
| On or near London Road | 29 |
| On or near Cobham Close | 28 |
Of the 1,189 crimes in Swanscombe with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 287 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 486 | 40.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 424 | 35.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 96 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 49 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 40 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 33 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 33 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Swanscombe has an estimated population of 15,948 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (11%, against 19%), fewer retired residents (13%, against 22%) and more private renting (27%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Swanscombe average decile 4.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Swanscombe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 67.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 26.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Swanscombe a safe place to live?
Swanscombe recorded 92.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 437th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Swanscombe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 464 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (287).
Is crime in Swanscombe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Swanscombe was down 3% on the year before: 1,476 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,526 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Swanscombe?
About 15,948 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Swanscombe?
Swanscombe 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.