Rural Dover Crime Rate

Crime statistics for Rural Dover, covering the period from January 2025 to December 2025, reveal a crime rate of 52.1 per 1,000 residents. This is notably lower than the UK average of 91.6 per 1,000, and reflects a safer environment overall. The area also boasts a safety score of 87/100, significantly higher than the UK average of 79/100. However, it is important to consider the specific types of crime occurring and the recent trend, which shows a positive decrease. The community's safety is a priority, and understanding these figures is a first step towards ensuring it.

The crime landscape in Rural Dover is shaped by its rural setting and dispersed population. Violence and sexual offences represent the largest proportion of recorded crimes, accounting for 45.7% (359 crimes) and a rate of 23.9 per 1,000 residents. This category encompasses a range of incidents, highlighting potential challenges within the community. Anti-social behaviour follows, representing 17.3% of reported crimes (136 incidents, or 9.0 per 1,000), indicating issues with public order and neighbourly disputes. Criminal damage and arson account for 9.8% of crimes (77 incidents, 5.1 per 1,000), suggesting vulnerability to malicious acts. Overall property crime, at a rate of 12.4 per 1,000, is lower than the UK average, which is encouraging. The relatively low rates of burglary (1.7 per 1,000) and vehicle crime (1.7 per 1,000) are also positive indicators.

Crime rates in Rural Dover have been steadily decreasing, demonstrating a -14.1% year-on-year reduction. This positive trend is evident when examining monthly data, with crime rates fluctuating between 3.1 and 5.6 incidents per 1,000 residents. For example, the rate decreased significantly from 4.9 per 1,000 in January 2025 to 3.1 per 1,000 in September 2025, indicating a consistent downward trajectory. While rates have seen slight increases in certain months, such as March and July, the overall trend remains reassuringly positive.

How To Keep Safe in Rural Dover

Given that violence and sexual offences are the most prevalent crime type in Rural Dover, consider the following precautions: Always be aware of your surroundings, particularly when walking alone. Report any suspicious activity to the police promptly. Secure your home and outbuildings with robust locks and security measures. Join or establish a Neighbourhood Watch scheme to foster community vigilance. Consider installing motion-sensor lighting to deter potential intruders. Finally, be cautious when interacting with strangers and trust your instincts.

Criminal activity in Rural Dover exhibits varied patterns throughout the day. Burglary attempts are most frequent during the morning (6am-12pm) and afternoon (12pm-6pm), but have a disproportionately higher occurrence during the night (12am-6am). Theft is concentrated during commercial hours, from the afternoon onwards. Vehicle crime shows a distinct overnight spike (11pm-6am), suggesting opportunistic targeting. Violence and sexual offences are more prevalent during the evening hours (6pm-12am), particularly on weekends.

Comparing Rural Dover to similar areas in the Dover district, the crime rate is consistently lower. Neighbouring villages, while generally experiencing similar rural challenges, often report higher instances of anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. This suggests that Rural Dover benefits from strong community ties and potentially effective local policing strategies. However, it is essential to remain vigilant and continue to work towards maintaining this positive comparative position.

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