Dover Crime Rate November 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Dover’s November 2025 crime rate of 7.0 per 1,000 residents marks a 4.1% reduction compared to the UK average of 7.3 per 1,000, reflecting a generally safer profile than the national average. This figure, however, masks significant variations across crime categories, with violence and sexual offences standing out as an outlier. At 2.8 per 1,000, this category is 9% above the UK average of 2.6 per 1,000, indicating a localised challenge that may be influenced by the month’s seasonal context. November, with its extended dark evenings, Bonfire Night celebrations, and the pre-Christmas rush, creates conditions where incidents of violence and sexual offences are more likely to occur. The town’s coastal and commuter characteristics—dual influences that shape both its economy and demographics—may contribute to this pattern. Other notable trends include anti-social behaviour, which rose to 1.3 per 1,000 (23% above the UK average), linked to the influx of visitors during the festive period. Conversely, property crimes such as shoplifting and criminal damage remain below UK averages, due to the presence of local policing initiatives and the town’s compact geography, which may facilitate quicker responses to emerging issues. These dynamics underscore the importance of contextualising crime statistics within Dover’s unique profile, where seasonal rhythms and geographical factors intersect to shape the local crime picture.

November saw a 14.6% increase in violence and sexual offences, the most common crime category in Dover, rising from 288 to 330 incidents. This surge, while below the UK average for this category (2.6 per 1,000), suggests heightened tensions during the month’s darker evenings and busy retail period. Shoplifting also rose by 24.1%, with 72 incidents reported—a figure that remains 5% below the UK average of 0.6 per 1,000. This contrast may reflect Dover’s coastal retail presence, which drives shoplifting but also benefits from targeted policing efforts. Conversely, bicycle theft plummeted by 75%, dropping from four to one incident, a stark contrast to the UK average of 0.1 per 1,000. This decline could be linked to increased bike storage initiatives near the port and university areas. Residents may find the 100% increase in theft from the person, from one to two incidents, a specific concern during the busy Black Friday period, though this remains well below the UK average of 0.2 per 1,000.

Dover's crime rate in November 2025 rose by 4.0% compared to the previous month, moving from 6.7 to 7.0 per 1,000 residents. This increase, though modest, aligns with typical seasonal fluctuations seen in coastal areas during late autumn. On a daily basis, Dover recorded approximately 28 crimes per day in November, a figure that reflects the town’s mix of urban and coastal characteristics. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 144 residents, a monthly exposure rate that places Dover within the lower end of the UK spectrum for population-scaled crime frequency. This metric suggests that, while the rate has risen slightly, the overall risk to residents remains comparatively low. The population of 119,768 further contextualises these numbers, showing that the absolute number of crimes (833) is manageable within the town’s size. This perspective is critical for residents assessing local safety, as it highlights that the crime rate, though up from October, remains below the UK average and is distributed across a larger population base than many comparable areas.