Sittingbourne Crime Rate May 2025 | Monthly Statistics

Sittingbourne's crime profile in May 2025 places it 32.1% above the UK average, with a total crime rate of 10.7 per 1,000 residents. This stark deviation from national trends highlights the area's unique challenges, particularly in violent crime and anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 35.5% of all reported crimes, the highest proportion in the breakdown, while anti-social behaviour followed closely at 20.1%. These figures are 34% and 48% above their respective UK averages, respectively, indicating a significant divergence in local crime patterns. The seasonal context of May — with longer evenings and increased outdoor socialising — may likely contribute to the elevated levels of violent and disorderly incidents. Shoplifting, at 12.5% of total crimes, is 94% above the UK average, a striking anomaly that could be tied to the area's retail presence or local economic factors. In contrast, other theft and public order offences are below the UK average, suggesting some crime types are stabilising. The data illustrates a built-up area within Swale where violent and disruptive crimes are concentrated, requiring targeted interventions to address the gap between local and national crime trends.

May 2025 saw sharp increases in bicycle theft (+600%), robbery (+250%), and vehicle crime (+175%) compared to April, with bicycle theft rising from 1 to 7 incidents alone. These jumps contrast with the 25% decline in possession of weapons, which dropped from 4 to 3 cases. The crime mix shows a pronounced imbalance, with violent crimes (35.5% share) and anti-social behaviour (20.1%) dominating, both significantly above their UK counterparts. Violence and sexual offences in Sittingbourne are 34% higher than the UK average of 2.8 per 1,000, while anti-social behaviour is 48% above the national rate. Shoplifting rates in the area are 94% above the UK average, a stark contrast to other categories like other theft (6% below) and public order offences (31% below). These divergent trends suggest that while some crime types are escalating, others are stabilising or even declining, pointing to complex local dynamics.

Sittingbourne's crime rate in May 2025 rose to 10.7 per 1,000 residents, a 43.1% increase from April's 7.5 per 1,000. This places the area 32.1% above the UK average of 8.1 per 1,000, a gap that has widened over the past year. On a daily basis, the area saw an average of 20 crimes reported each day, highlighting the persistent pressure on local policing resources. When scaled to the population of 57,859, this translates to one crime occurring for every 94 residents over the course of the month — a figure that underscores the frequency of incidents in a relatively small community. The population context further reveals that the crime burden is concentrated, with 57,859 residents sharing 617 reported crimes. This density of incidents contrasts with national trends, where the UK average crime rate remains lower, suggesting unique local factors may be contributing to the disparity.