Swale Crime Rate November 2025 | Monthly Statistics

The crime mix in Swale during November 2025 reveals a stark dominance of violent and anti-social offences, which together account for over half of all recorded crimes. With 442 incidents of violence and sexual offences and 247 cases of anti-social behaviour, these categories far outpace the UK averages for both (2.6 and 1.1 per 1,000 respectively). This imbalance suggests a combination of local demographics and seasonal pressures, particularly during November’s dark evenings and high-traffic periods like Black Friday. The relatively low levels of burglary and vehicle crime—0.2 and 0.4 per 1,000 respectively—contrast with the elevated rates of property-related offences such as shoplifting (0.8 per 1,000) and criminal damage (0.8 per 1,000), both of which exceed UK averages. These patterns may reflect the area’s mix of urban and semi-rural zones, where retail centres and public spaces drive certain crime types but where community cohesion and policing efforts appear to mitigate others. Seasonal factors likely contribute to the rise in violent crime, with Bonfire Night’s pyrotechnic events potentially spiking public order issues and Black Friday shopping creating opportunities for theft. The overall crime rate of 8.2 per 1,000 residents, 12.3% above the UK average, underscores the need for targeted interventions in areas where anti-social behaviour and violence are concentrated. This data also highlights the importance of contextualising crime trends: while the rate is elevated compared to national benchmarks, the specific mix of offences suggests localized challenges that may not be fully reflected in broader statistics.

November 2025 marked sharp increases in specific crime categories, with theft from the person doubling to two incidents and possession of weapons rising by 90.9% to 21 cases. These spikes, though small in absolute numbers, highlight vulnerabilities in public spaces during late-night hours, particularly around Bonfire Night events. Meanwhile, vehicle crime fell by 16.7% to 55 incidents, possibly linked to reduced retail activity during the holiday season. The balance of crime types also shifted, with violent crimes (34.1% of total) and anti-social behaviour (19.1%) dominating, both far exceeding UK averages. This contrasts with categories like burglary and drugs offences, which remained below national levels. Residents may find the 12.3% rise in overall crime rate concerning, though the breakdown suggests targeted issues rather than a broad increase in criminal activity.

Swale's crime rate in November 2025 rose 9.7% compared to the previous month, reflecting a shift in local patterns. With 43 crimes reported daily, the pace of incidents underscores a need for ongoing community vigilance. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 122 residents, a figure that contextualises the scale of activity relative to the population. This monthly exposure rate, while not directly comparable to UK-wide metrics, aligns with Swale's character as a mixed-use area where retail and leisure hubs coexist with residential zones. The population-scaled perspective reveals that while the rate is elevated compared to the UK average, the distribution of crime types—particularly the dominance of violent and anti-social offences—suggests localized pressures that may not be fully captured by national aggregates. These figures offer residents a concrete benchmark for understanding their monthly risk profile.