Folkestone and Hythe Crime Rate December 2025 | Monthly Statistics

The crime profile for Folkestone and Hythe in December 2025 reveals a distinct balance between violent and property crimes, shaped by seasonal factors and local dynamics. With a total crime rate of 6.4 per 1,000 residents—8.6% below the UK average of 7.0—the area demonstrates a relatively safer environment compared to the national picture. Violence and sexual offences dominate the crime mix, accounting for 39.5% of all reported incidents, followed by anti-social behaviour (16.3%) and criminal damage and arson (9.8%). This skewed distribution highlights a focus on interpersonal conflicts and disorder, which may partly explain the high proportion of violent crime. The seasonal context of December, with its long evenings, holiday shopping, and temporary absence of residents during the festive period, likely contributes to the prominence of violent crime. For example, the 282 incidents of violence and sexual offences may reflect increased social interactions in public spaces, such as the town’s high streets and coastal areas, during the Christmas season. In contrast, property crimes like shoplifting and burglary remain lower than UK averages, with shoplifting at 30% below the national rate. This could indicate effective local policing strategies in retail zones or the influence of seasonal foot traffic patterns, where higher surveillance and community engagement during peak shopping periods deter theft. The relatively low rates of vehicle crime (73% below UK average) and burglary (64% below UK average) further suggest that the area’s residential and commercial infrastructure may be well-secured, or that the transient nature of holiday-related crime has not yet impacted these categories. However, the higher-than-average rates of anti-social behaviour and drug-related offences (48% above UK average) point to persistent challenges in community management, which may require targeted interventions to address underlying social factors.

December 2025 saw stark shifts in crime patterns, with robbery incidents surging by 1000% (from 1 to 11 cases), a 150% increase in theft from the person (from 2 to 5), and a 50% rise in drug-related offences (from 30 to 45). These spikes, particularly in robbery, underscore a significant change in criminal activity that may reflect the area’s seasonal dynamics. The sharp rise in robbery could be linked to increased foot traffic in retail areas during the Christmas shopping period, creating opportunities for opportunistic crimes. Conversely, other crime categories showed notable declines, including a 55.2% drop in 'other crime' (from 29 to 13) and a 34.8% reduction in public order offences (from 46 to 30), suggesting that targeted policing or community initiatives may have had an impact. The crime mix also reveals divergent trends relative to the UK average: while anti-social behaviour and drug-related offences are significantly above national benchmarks (8% and 48% respectively), shoplifting and burglary remain well below the UK average (30% and 64% below). This contrast highlights the area’s unique challenges and strengths. For instance, the 30% below UK average for shoplifting may indicate that local retailers have implemented effective anti-theft measures, such as CCTV or staff training, during the busy holiday season. Residents may find the 1000% increase in robbery particularly concerning, as it signals a dramatic shift in crime risk that could influence local safety perceptions and community engagement efforts.

In December 2025, Folkestone and Hythe’s crime rate of 6.4 per 1,000 residents marked a 12.2% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 7.2, reflecting a downward trend in overall criminal activity. On a daily basis, the area experienced an average of 23 reported crimes per day, a figure that, while not directly comparable to UK-wide data, provides a local context for residents to gauge their risk. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for every 157 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is relatively low compared to other areas with similar population sizes. This statistic, when contextualised with the local population of 112,411, suggests that the majority of residents are not directly affected by crime on a daily basis, though the spikes in certain categories—such as robbery—could create pockets of concern in specific neighbourhoods. The comparison to the previous month also reveals a shift in the crime profile: while violent crime remained the largest category, the decline in public order offences and other crime may indicate that local authorities have successfully addressed some of the more disruptive aspects of anti-social behaviour. However, the persistent above-average rates of drug-related offences (48% higher than the UK average) and anti-social behaviour (8% higher) highlight areas where further intervention may be needed. These findings, when viewed alongside the population-scaled perspective, offer a nuanced understanding of the area’s crime profile, balancing the overall decline with the need to address specific emerging issues.