Crime in Dover
Recorded crime in Dover is 1.1 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 23%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
119,768 residents in 69 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 3/10Above average crime
- Living
- 5.9/10Fair
- 5-year change
- −23%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 23% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Dover, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the England and Wales average. 85 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 74% of the harm here
- Burglary: 9% of the harm here
- Robbery: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 74% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 18 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.7 |
| Burglary | 3.3 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 42.3 |
| Drugs | 2.1 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.8 |
| Other crime | 3.0 |
| Other theft | 6.3 |
| Theft from the person | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime | 3.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 10.3 |
| Public order | 6.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.6 |
| Shoplifting | 4.9 |
Towns and cities in Dover
Postcode districts in Dover
Questions about crime in Dover
- Is Dover a safe place to live?
- Dover scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Dover?
- Down 23% over 5 years, from 10,883 recorded crimes a year to 8,432.
- What is the most common crime in Dover?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 42 per 1,000 residents a year.