Herne Bay Crime Rate

Introduction to Crime in Herne Bay

Herne Bay, a coastal town in Kent, records an overall crime rate of 100.3 per 1,000 residents per year. This figure is slightly above the national average crime rate of 93.4 per 1,000. The area's safety score is 78 out of 100, aligning perfectly with the UK average, suggesting a balanced safety profile. The crime trend in Herne Bay has remained stable, with a modest 2.2% increase observed year-over-year. This introduction provides a concise overview of Herne Bay's crime landscape, setting the context for a more detailed analysis of its specific crime challenges and safety aspects.

Crime Type Analysis in Herne Bay

An analysis of crime types in Herne Bay reveals that Violence and sexual offences are the most prevalent category, accounting for 33.9% of all incidents, or 34.0 per 1,000 residents. Anti-social behaviour is the second most common, representing 17.4% of crimes at a rate of 17.4 per 1,000. Shoplifting follows closely, making up 15.1% of the total with 15.1 incidents per 1,000 residents.

Property-related crime in Herne Bay, which includes burglary, theft from person, criminal damage and arson, bicycle theft, vehicle crime, other theft, and robbery, collectively stands at 36.9 per 1,000 residents. This is marginally higher than the UK average property crime rate of 33.2 per 1,000. While not excessively high, this rate indicates that residents should still be mindful of securing their homes and belongings against theft and damage, particularly given the prevalence of anti-social behaviour.

Crime Trends in Herne Bay

Herne Bay has experienced a stable crime trend over the last year, with a 2.2% increase in overall crime compared to the previous 12-month period. Reviewing the monthly trend data shows fluctuations throughout the year. The crime rate per 1,000 residents was 8.5 in October 2024, decreasing to a low of 6.3 in December 2024. A noticeable rise occurred in spring and summer 2025, peaking at 11.2 in August, before falling to 7.6 in September 2025. This pattern suggests a typical seasonal increase during warmer months. The stable year-over-year change indicates that while crime is not rapidly escalating, it remains a consistent factor for residents.

Understanding Time-Based Crime Patterns in Herne Bay

Crime in Herne Bay exhibits specific patterns throughout the day. During the Morning (6am-12pm), 'other' crimes (43%) are most common, followed by theft (37%) and vehicle crime (13%), correlating with early daily activity. The Afternoon (12pm-6pm) sees a balance of 'other' crimes (41%) and theft (41%), with some burglary (13%), aligning with peak commercial and residential hours. In the Evening (6pm-12am), 'other' crimes dominate significantly (64%), suggesting increased social activity and anti-social behaviour. Finally, Night (12am-6am) is characterised by high 'other' crimes (46%), substantial vehicle crime (31%), and some burglary (14%), targeting properties under the cover of darkness.

Crime Comparison with Nearby Built-Up Areas

When comparing Herne Bay's crime rate of 100.3 per 1,000 residents with its immediate neighbouring built-up areas, a clearer local context emerges. Areas such as Herne, Upstreet, Hersden, and Broad Oak (Canterbury) generally exhibit lower crime rates, often due to their smaller populations and more suburban or rural characteristics. Herne Bay, as a larger coastal town with more commercial activity and a higher population density, naturally experiences a somewhat higher crime rate. This comparison helps residents understand Herne Bay's position within the local crime landscape, highlighting variations in safety across the region.

Protecting Your Property in Herne Bay

With Herne Bay's property crime rate of 36.9 per 1,000 residents, which is slightly above the national average, it is prudent for homeowners to consider robust security measures. Relying on traditional security cameras that merely record a crime after it happens offers limited protection. True security comes from prevention.

Consider proactive, AI-powered home security systems like scOS, designed to detect and deter threats at your property boundary before an incident can escalate. Unlike reactive systems, scOS uses multi-camera intelligence to provide comprehensive surveillance, learning your property's normal routines to distinguish real threats. The visible presence of such professional-grade deterrence, coupled with features like autonomous response that can activate lights and speakers, is highly effective. This approach can destroy an intruder's element of surprise and make them decide to move on within seconds, significantly enhancing your home's safety against property-related offences.