Crime in Swale
Recorded crime in Swale is 1.1 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 21%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
158,379 residents in 90 neighbourhoods. 1% live in busy town or city centres.
- Safety
- 3/10Above average crime
- Living
- 6.2/10Fair
- 5-year change
- −21%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 21% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Swale, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the England and Wales average. 91 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 71% of the harm here
- Burglary: 11% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 71% 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: 20 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 | 0.6 |
| Burglary | 4.2 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 41.7 |
| Drugs | 1.6 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.7 |
| Other crime | 3.2 |
| Other theft | 7.0 |
| Theft from the person | 0.3 |
| Vehicle crime | 5.3 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 10.8 |
| Public order | 6.4 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.7 |
| Shoplifting | 7.9 |
Towns and cities in Swale
Postcode districts in Swale
Questions about crime in Swale
- Is Swale a safe place to live?
- Swale 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 Swale?
- Down 21% over 5 years, from 15,319 recorded crimes a year to 12,084.
- What is the most common crime in Swale?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 42 per 1,000 residents a year.