St Mary's Bay Crime Rate

St Mary's Bay Crime Overview

St Mary's Bay is an exceptionally safe urban settlement, recording an overall crime rate of 51.8 per 1,000 people per year. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 93.1, giving the area an impressive safety score of 86/100. The crime trend is also moving in a very positive direction, with an 11.4% decrease in total offences year-over-year. For its 2,550 residents, St Mary's Bay provides a very secure living environment that compares extremely well with both regional and national benchmarks. The data suggests that crime is very well-managed in this coastal community. The following sections provide a detailed breakdown of local crime statistics and time-based patterns.

Crime Breakdown in St Mary's Bay

In St Mary's Bay, violence and sexual offences are the most common crime type, representing 56.8% of all reported incidents. Criminal damage and arson are also significant, making up 12.9% of reports, followed by anti-social behaviour at 11.4%. These figures indicate that personal safety and community conduct are the primary focus for local policing in this coastal area.

Property crime, which includes burglary, vehicle crime, and various thefts, occurs at an exceptionally low rate of 10.2 per 1,000 residents. This is much lower than the UK average of 32.9. Burglary accounts for 2.3% of total crime, while vehicle crime and other thefts each make up less than 2%. For residents, this suggests that St Mary's Bay is an extremely safe urban settlement with a very low risk of property-related offences. However, the high percentage of violence and sexual offences (relative to total crime) highlights the importance of maintaining personal awareness.

Crime Trends in St Mary's Bay

St Mary's Bay has seen a decreasing crime trend over the past year, with an 11.4% reduction in total offences. Monthly data shows that the crime rate per 1,000 people fluctuated from a low of 1.2 in November 2024 to a peak of 8.2 in August 2025.

The first half of 2025 saw some volatility, with the rate rising to 5.9 in January before falling. However, the rate showed a generally upward trajectory in the summer, peaking in August (8.2). Despite this seasonal increase, the rate fell significantly back to 2.4 in September and rose slightly to 4.7 in October. This overall downward trend and the low monthly figures confirm that St Mary's Bay remains a very safe and secure environment for its residents.

How To Keep Safe in St Mary's Bay

The most common crime in St Mary's Bay is violence and sexual offences. To enhance personal safety, it is important to stay aware of your surroundings and take simple precautions.

When walking through the area, especially after dark, stick to well-lit main roads and avoid shortcuts through unlit paths or alleyways. If you are socialising late, it is always safer to travel with friends or use a reputable taxi service.

Given the rate of criminal damage and arson (12.9%) and anti-social behaviour (11.4%), residents should ensure their homes and gardens are well-secured. Simple steps like installing motion-activated security lights and keeping gates locked can be very effective deterrents. For vehicle owners, although the rate of vehicle crime is very low, you should still ensure you never leave valuables on display and always double-lock your car. Joining a local Neighbourhood Watch group can also help you stay informed about local issues and work with your neighbours to maintain the area's high safety standards. Promptly reporting any suspicious behaviour to the police is also key to keeping St Mary's Bay safe.

Crime Patterns in St Mary's Bay

Crime in St Mary's Bay shows clear variations throughout the day. In the morning (6am - 12pm), 'other' crimes, which include anti-social behaviour, are the most prominent at 68%, while burglary accounts for 10%. As the day progresses into the afternoon (12pm - 6pm), 'other' crimes remain high at 64%, and burglary increases to its peak of 18%. This suggests that daytime activity is primarily focused on social-related offences and property crimes in residential areas.

In the evening (6pm - 12am), 'other' crimes spike to 80% of total incidents, while theft and vehicle crime remain very low. Night-time (12am - 6am) brings a shift in risk, with 'other' crimes falling to 65% and vehicle crime reaching its daily peak at 17%. Burglary also remains a factor at 16% during these hours. This data indicates that while social-related offences are a major concern throughout the day and evening, residents should be most vigilant about home and vehicle security during the late night and early morning hours.

Local Context: Nearby Areas

In the local area, St Mary's Bay’s safety profile is consistent with several of its neighbours. Its crime rate of 51.8 is very similar to Dymchurch (53.0). However, it is much lower than nearby New Romney, which has a much higher crime rate of 102.0 per 1,000. It is also safer than Lydd (69.6) but less safe than the exceptionally quiet Littlestone-on-Sea (38.6) and Lympne (28.0). This makes St Mary's Bay a very secure choice within the wider Folkestone and Hythe region, offering a peaceful residential environment that is notably safer than its more active neighbours.

Protecting Your Property in St Mary's Bay

With an exceptionally low property crime rate of 10.2 per 1,000 people, St Mary's Bay is one of the safest areas in the region, but maintaining this high level of security still requires proactive measures. Traditional security systems like basic alarms and recording-only CCTV often fail to prevent crimes, instead only providing footage of the event after it has occurred.

scOS provides a more effective, proactive alternative. By using AI to monitor your property's perimeter, scOS can detect and flag potential threats before they ever reach your home. For the 3 households that experience burglary annually, and the others affected by vehicle crime and theft, scOS offers the ability to stop these incidents entirely. Features like multi-camera intelligence and vehicle verification ensure that suspicious activity is identified in real-time. By triggering autonomous responses like lighting or audible warnings, scOS can deter opportunistic criminals, ensuring your home remains a hard target. This proactive approach is the best way to ensure your property remains highly secure in St Mary's Bay.