Crime in Folkestone
Recorded crime in Folkestone is 1.7 times the Folkestone and Hythe average and 1.9 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.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Folkestone: about 27,487 residents in 22 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 7.7/10Good
- 5-year change
- −23%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.7×the Folkestone and Hythe average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Folkestone.
Crime over 5 years
Down 23% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Folkestone, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.7× the Folkestone and Hythe average (1.9× the England and Wales average). 143 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 71% of the harm here
- Burglary: 9% of the harm here
- Robbery: 5% 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: 33 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 | 1.5 |
| Burglary | 5.8 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 68.4 |
| Drugs | 5.2 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.5 |
| Other crime | 3.8 |
| Other theft | 11.0 |
| Theft from the person | 1.0 |
| Vehicle crime | 4.9 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 15.9 |
| Public order | 11.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.2 |
| Shoplifting | 10.8 |
Postcode districts in Folkestone
Nearby towns
Council: Folkestone and Hythe
Questions about crime in Folkestone
- Is Folkestone a safe place to live?
- Folkestone scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.7 times the Folkestone and Hythe average.
- Is crime going up or down in Folkestone?
- Down 23% over 5 years, from 4,174 recorded crimes a year to 3,219.
- What is the most common crime in Folkestone?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 68 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Folkestone compare with Folkestone and Hythe?
- Crime severity in Folkestone is 1.7 times the Folkestone and Hythe average.