Rough Common Crime Rate

Rough Common is characterized by an exceptionally high safety profile, making it one of the more secure residential enclaves in the Canterbury region. With a safety score of 87/100, it significantly outperforms the UK average of 79. The overall crime rate stands at 51.3 per 1,000 residents, which is nearly half the national average of 91.7. However, the area has experienced a notable shift recently, with crime increasing by 48.2% year-over-year. While this percentage increase is high, it starts from a very low baseline. The property crime rate of 16.7 per 1,000 remains well below the UK average of 32.3. For the 1,617 residents of Rough Common, the data suggests a safe environment that nonetheless requires increasing awareness due to recent trends.

In Rough Common, the crime landscape is primarily defined by violence and sexual offences, which constitute 45.8% of all reported incidents. This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 15.7% and other theft at 12.1%. While these categories represent the bulk of police activity, property-related crime is a significant factor for the local community.

The overall property crime rate in Rough Common is 16.7 per 1,000 residents. This includes burglary (6.0%), vehicle crime (7.2%), and bicycle theft (2.4%). When combined with other theft and criminal damage, property crime accounts for a substantial portion of the challenges faced by homeowners. Although the rates are lower than the UK average, the 48.2% year-over-year increase in total crime suggests that opportunistic offences are becoming more frequent. For residents, this means that while the area remains statistically safe, the growing trend in theft and vehicle interference requires a more proactive approach to home and asset security.

Rough Common has experienced a significant upward trend in crime, with a 48.2% increase year-over-year. This sharp rise is reflected in the monthly data, which started at a low of 3.1 per 1,000 residents in December 2024 and climbed to 8.7 per 1,000 by November 2025.

While the numbers fluctuated throughout the year—including a very quiet March (1.2)—the general trajectory has been one of increasing activity. The peak in November 2025 was nearly triple the rate seen at the start of the period. For a small community like Rough Common, such a rapid increase can be felt keenly. It suggests that the area, while still statistically very safe, is attracting more opportunistic criminal interest than in previous years. Residents should be aware that the historical low-crime reputation of the area is being challenged by these recent figures, making consistent home security more important than ever.

How To Keep Safe in Rough Common

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type in Rough Common, representing nearly 46% of all recorded incidents. While the overall volume of crime is low, the significant year-over-year increase suggests that residents should adopt more vigilant safety habits.

To maintain your safety in Rough Common, consider the following advice:

• Prioritise Overnight Vehicle Security: With vehicle crime accounting for 45% of all incidents between midnight and 6am, always double-check that your car is locked and avoid leaving any valuables, even hidden ones, inside the cabin.
• Enhance Boundary Lighting: Burglary and vehicle crime are most prevalent at night. Installing motion-activated lighting around your driveway and garden can act as a powerful deterrent to opportunistic thieves.
• Be Mindful During the Day: Theft-related offences peak during the morning and afternoon. Ensure that house doors are locked even when you are at home or in the garden, and keep expensive items like laptops and tablets away from window views.
• Stay Connected with Neighbours: Given the small population of Rough Common, a tight-knit community is a great defence. Sharing information about suspicious vehicles or callers can help prevent crime before it happens.
• Secure Bicycles: Bicycle theft is a small but present factor locally. Always use high-quality D-locks, even when storing bikes in sheds or garages.

The timing of crime in Rough Common shows a stark contrast between daytime and night-time activity. During the daylight hours (6am - 6pm), theft is the primary concern, accounting for approximately 60% of all incidents. This suggests that opportunistic theft is most common when people are active and moving around the area.

As the day ends, the nature of crime shifts dramatically toward property interference. In the evening (6pm - 12am), burglary and vehicle crime begin to rise, together making up 44% of activity. This trend peaks during the night (12am - 6am), where vehicle crime alone accounts for 45% of all reports, and burglary reaches its highest proportion of 24%. Conversely, 'Other' crimes like anti-social behaviour are most prevalent in the evening and night. This data indicates that while Rough Common is safe during the day, the risk to unattended property and vehicles increases significantly after dark, requiring robust overnight security measures.

Rough Common occupies a mid-range position when compared to its immediate neighbours. It is considerably safer than the city of Canterbury, where the crime rate is 155.0 per 1,000 people. However, it has a higher crime frequency than nearby Blean (19.6) and Tyler Hill (0.0). It is most comparable to Upper Harbledown, which records a slightly lower rate of 40.5. For those considering the region, Rough Common offers a quiet, suburban alternative to the city centre, though the recent upward trend in crime makes it more active than some of the smaller surrounding villages. Overall, it remains a highly desirable and secure location within the local authority area.

Rough Common's property crime rate of 16.7 per 1,000, combined with a sharp 48.2% increase in overall crime, highlights the need for a modern approach to home security. Traditional CCTV systems are reactive; they provide you with high-definition footage of a burglary after it has happened. For residents in Rough Common, the goal should be prevention rather than just evidence collection.

This is where scOS changes the landscape of home protection. As an AI-powered operating system, scOS doesn't just record; it monitors all your cameras simultaneously to identify threats at the property boundary. If a stranger enters your garden at 3 am—the peak time for vehicle crime and burglary in Rough Common—scOS can autonomously activate deterrents like floodlights and audio warnings. By intervening in real-time, the system breaks the offender's focus and encourages them to move on before they even touch a door or window. In an area where security is generally high, having a visible, proactive system like scOS marks your property as a difficult target, ensuring your home remains part of the safer statistics.