Kettering Crime Rate

Kettering has an overall crime rate of 119.2 per 1,000 people, which is higher than the UK average of 91.6. Despite this higher volume of activity, the town maintains a safety score of 72/100, reflecting its status as a typical urban settlement where crime is more concentrated in specific hubs rather than being uniform throughout. The local crime trend is currently stable, with a minor 1.6% increase year-over-year. For its population of over 63,000 residents, Kettering presents a busy safety landscape where urban challenges like anti-social behaviour and violence are prominent. The following analysis provides a deeper look into the town's crime statistics and offers practical safety guidance.

In Kettering, the top three crime categories are violence and sexual offences (37.7%), anti-social behaviour (22.1%), and shoplifting (6.8%). Violence and sexual offences are the most frequent, occurring at a rate of 44.9 per 1,000 residents. Property crime, which includes burglary, robbery, theft, and vehicle-related offences, has an overall rate of 29.4 per 1,000 people. Shoplifting and 'other theft' are significant contributors to this, particularly in the town's commercial areas. Other notable property crimes include criminal damage and arson (6.2%) and burglary (2.7%). For residents, this means that while interpersonal crime and anti-social behaviour are primary concerns, property-related offences, particularly theft from businesses and homes, remain a constant threat that requires robust security measures and consistent vigilance in this busy urban settlement.

The crime rate in Kettering has remained stable over the past year, showing a minor increase of 1.6%. Monthly data from 2025 indicates that criminal activity peaked in July at 12.0 per 1,000 residents and in May at 11.5. The lowest level of crime was recorded in February at 8.0 per 1,000. These figures suggest that while the annual average is consistent, the summer months see a higher volume of reported incidents. This seasonal pattern is common in many urban areas, and residents should remain particularly vigilant during these peak periods. The overall stable trend is a positive indicator for the town's safety management.

How To Keep Safe in Kettering

Violence and sexual offences are the most common crimes in Kettering. To enhance your personal safety, always maintain high situational awareness, especially when in the town centre or using public transport after dark. Stick to well-lit, busy routes and avoid shortcuts through isolated areas. If you are out in the evening, consider using personal safety apps or sharing your journey with a friend. Regarding property, anti-social behaviour is a significant issue; engaging with local community watch programs and reporting incidents to the police can help identify problem areas. For your home, reinforcing doors and windows and installing motion-activated lighting can act as effective deterrents against both burglary and criminal damage. Engaging with local Safer Neighbourhood Teams and staying informed about local crime trends helps maintain community safety and ensures that resources are directed where they are most needed.

Crime in Kettering follows distinct temporal trends throughout the day. During the morning and afternoon, theft-related offences are dominant, accounting for 44% and 46% of incidents respectively. This suggests that theft is primarily a daytime issue linked to commercial footfall. As night falls, the nature of crime shifts; the night period (12am-6am) sees vehicle crime reach its peak at 27%, while burglary also remains a concern. This indicates that property-related crimes, particularly those involving vehicles, are most likely to occur when residents are asleep and monitoring is minimal. Evening hours see a higher proportion of 'other' crimes, including anti-social behaviour and public order incidents.

Comparing Kettering to its neighbours reveals a typical urban-rural divide. Kettering's rate of 119.2 per 1,000 is significantly higher than nearby areas like Broughton (69.1) and Burton Latimer (40.0). Most notably, both Pytchley and Isham recorded a crime rate of 0.0 per 1,000 during this period. This is expected given Kettering's larger population, commercial activity, and transport links. In the broader context of North Northamptonshire, Kettering remains a major hub for safety monitoring. Residents should use this comparison to understand that while Kettering has higher crime than its immediate neighbours, it is part of a stable and generally secure wider region.

With a property crime rate of 29.4 per 1,000, Kettering residents should be proactive about home security. Traditional security systems, such as standard CCTV or video doorbells, are primarily reactive—they record footage of a crime as it happens. This may provide evidence later, but it does little to prevent the incident itself. scOS offers a proactive alternative. This AI-powered security operating system monitors your property boundaries in real-time, identifying potential threats before they reach your door. Features like vehicle verification and autonomous responses—such as activating security lights or speakers—can deter criminals by destroying the element of surprise. In a busy urban environment like Kettering, where burglars often look for easy targets, having a system that provides active deterrence is a vital safety advantage. By choosing scOS, you move from simply recording incidents to actively preventing them, ensuring your home is a difficult target for opportunistic thieves. This proactive protection is the most effective way to safeguard your property in Kettering.