Crime in Whitfield (Dover): statistics, rates and trends
453 crimes were recorded in Whitfield (Dover) in the 12 months to August 2026, 68.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Whitfield (Dover) at a glance
- Crime trends in Whitfield (Dover)
- Types of crime in Whitfield (Dover)
- Whitfield (Dover) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Whitfield (Dover)
- Streets with the most crime in Whitfield (Dover)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Whitfield (Dover)
- Demographics of Whitfield (Dover)
- Questions about crime in Whitfield (Dover)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (115), anti-social behaviour (86) and shoplifting (76) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 796th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Whitfield (Dover) | Dover | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 453 | 10,506 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 68.9 | 87.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 6,573 | 119,768 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Whitfield (Dover) peaked in the year to August 2018 (603 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (423). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 25%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 453 | 68.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 473 | 72.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 465 | 70.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 440 | 66.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 527 | 80.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 423 | 64.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 524 | 79.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 529 | 80.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 603 | 91.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 53 |
| July 2026 | 39 |
| June 2026 | 42 |
| May 2026 | 43 |
| April 2026 | 39 |
| March 2026 | 50 |
| February 2026 | 29 |
| January 2026 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 30 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| September 2025 | 40 |
Compared with England and Wales, Whitfield (Dover) recorded notably more shoplifting (37% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (49% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 30 to 49 and shoplifting rose from 60 to 76, while violence and sexual offences fell from 187 to 115 and other theft fell from 42 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 115 | 17.5 | 34.2 | -39% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 86 | 13.1 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 76 | 11.6 | 8.5 | +27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 49 | 7.5 | 6.7 | +63% |
| Other theft | 35 | 5.3 | 6.4 | -17% |
| Vehicle crime | 28 | 4.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 18 | 2.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 2.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Burglary | 12 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Public order | 12 | 1.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Whitfield (Dover); the highest is Canterbury (165.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Hythe (48.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Whitfield (Dover) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | 5,526 | 150.1 | +118% |
| Deal | 1,783 | 61.7 | -10% |
| Aylesham | 481 | 74.4 | +8% |
| Hawkinge | 446 | 51.3 | -26% |
| Folkestone | 6,682 | 123.7 | +80% |
| Hythe | 663 | 48.5 | -30% |
| Canterbury | 9,598 | 165.8 | +141% |
| Ramsgate | 5,841 | 136.5 | +98% |
Whitfield is the one area listed within Whitfield (Dover), with 68.9 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitfield | Neighbourhood | 6,573 | 453 | 68.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Whitfield (Dover) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (81).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 81 |
| On or near Red Kite Road | 25 |
| On or near Elysium Park Close | 23 |
| On or near Fitness Fields | 22 |
| On or near Harvest Road | 21 |
| On or near Honeywood Parkway | 20 |
| On or near Supermarket | 14 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 12 |
| On or near Grace Meadow | 11 |
| On or near Sparrowhawk Way | 11 |
Of the 367 crimes in Whitfield (Dover) with a recorded outcome, 46% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 86 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 169 | 46.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 107 | 29.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 32 | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 7.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 1.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Whitfield (Dover) has an estimated population of 6,573 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (8.7%, against 20.3%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and less social housing (9.3%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Whitfield (Dover) average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Whitfield (Dover) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 82.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 8.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Whitfield (Dover) a safe place to live?
Whitfield (Dover) recorded 68.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 796th 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 Whitfield (Dover)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 115 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (86).
Is crime in Whitfield (Dover) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Whitfield (Dover) was down 4% on the year before: 453 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 473 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Whitfield (Dover)?
About 6,573 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Whitfield (Dover)?
Whitfield (Dover) 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.