Canterbury Crime Rate December 2025 | Monthly Statistics

For a population of 162,100, Canterbury recorded 1,410 crimes in December 2025, translating to a crime rate of 8.7 per 1,000 residents. This places the area 24.3% above the UK average of 7.0 per 1,000, a gap that highlights local challenges in crime prevention. The most prevalent crime types were violence and sexual offences (34.3% of all crimes), anti-social behaviour (16.1%), and shoplifting (14.5%). These figures align with Canterbury’s character as a historic city with a mix of tourist attractions and residential areas, where seasonal factors like Christmas shopping and holiday-related activity may influence crime patterns. The surge in shoplifting, for instance, is consistent with the retail activity surrounding the festive season, while anti-social behaviour may reflect the increased social interactions during the party season. Violence and sexual offences. compared to the previous month, remain significantly above the UK average, linked to the city’s nightlife and the impact of darker evenings on public safety. The data underscores the need for targeted interventions during peak holiday periods, particularly in high-traffic areas like the cathedral quarter and shopping districts.

December 2025 saw a sharp rise in theft from the person, with incidents increasing by 166.7% (from 3 to 8), a jump that may be tied to the influx of tourists and holiday shoppers. Concurrently, drug-related crimes rose by 57.1% (42 to 66), possibly reflecting the seasonal demand for illicit substances during the festive period. In contrast, other thefts fell by 32.8% (from 122 to 82), suggesting a possible reduction in opportunistic crimes as retail premises closed earlier for Christmas. Violence and sexual offences, while down by 10.9% (from 542 to 483), still remain 17% above the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000, a disparity that may be attributed to Canterbury’s dense population and the concentration of nightlife venues. Anti-social behaviour, which accounts for 16.1% of all crimes, is 51% above the UK average, a figure that could be exacerbated by the city’s historic streets and the increased foot traffic during the holiday season. Shoplifting, at 1.3 per 1,000 (14.5% of all crimes), is 128% above the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000, a stark contrast that likely reflects the city’s role as a tourist destination with high-value retail outlets. These trends highlight the combination of local demographics, seasonal activity, and crime dynamics in Canterbury.

The crime rate in Canterbury for December 2025 (8.7 per 1,000) marked a 3.7% decline from the previous month’s rate of 9.0 per 1,000, indicating a slight reduction in overall criminal activity. On a daily basis, the city experienced approximately 45 crimes per day, a figure that, while locally contextual, provides a tangible sense of the frequency of incidents in a given timeframe. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 115 residents, a monthly exposure rate that underscores the impact of crime on the local population. When scaled to Canterbury’s population of 162,100, this means that nearly 1,400 individuals were directly affected by crime, a statistic that may influence perceptions of safety among residents. The comparison to the UK average also reveals stark differences: anti-social behaviour in Canterbury is 51% above the national average, while shoplifting is 128% above, both of which may be linked to the city’s unique blend of historic sites and commercial hubs. These figures, when contextualised against Canterbury’s population size, illustrate both the challenges and the opportunities for targeted policing and community engagement strategies tailored to the area’s specific needs.