Dartford Crime Overview
Dartford is among the top 10 most dangerous medium-sized towns in Kent, and is the 31st most dangerous overall out of Kent's 335 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Dartford in 2020 was 98 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Kent's overall crime rate, coming in 13% higher than the Kent rate of 85 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Dartford is the 39th most dangerous medium-sized town, and the 525th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2020, Dartford had the worst crime rate in Kent for shoplifting, with 69 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.2 per 1,000 inhabitants. December 2020 was also a bad month for Dartford residents, when it was Kent's most dangerous area for theft from the person, recording 6 crimes at a rate of 0.10 per 1,000 residents. Dartford recorded 53 reports of vehicle crime during November 2020, making its crime rate of 0.90 the worst for vehicle crime in Kent that month.
The most common crimes in Dartford are violence and sexual offences, with 2,547 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 43. This is 11% lower than 2019's figure of 2,836 offences and a difference of 4.91 from 2019's crime rate of 48. Dartford's least common crime is theft from the person, with 41 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 80% from 2019's figure of 74 crimes.
Compare Dartford to other towns and cities
See how Dartford shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Dartford and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Dartford Crime Map
Crime in Dartford Compared To Kent
Summary of Crimes in Dartford This Year
| Dartford | Kent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,479 | 25.10 | 48,316 | 25.97 | 3.5% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 62 | 1.05 | 1,165 | 0.63 | 40% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 259 | 4.40 | 7,089 | 3.81 | 13% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 623 | 10.57 | 18,622 | 10.01 | 5% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 180 | 3.06 | 4,217 | 2.27 | 26% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 125 | 2.12 | 5,115 | 2.75 | 30% safer |
| Other Theft | 407 | 6.91 | 10,954 | 5.89 | 15% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 50 | 0.85 | 1,351 | 0.73 | 14% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 449 | 7.62 | 13,158 | 7.07 | 7% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 54 | 0.92 | 1,309 | 0.70 | 24% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 421 | 7.15 | 9,225 | 4.96 | 31% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 41 | 0.70 | 834 | 0.45 | 36% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 558 | 9.47 | 9,087 | 4.88 | 48% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 2,547 | 43.23 | 76,374 | 41.05 | 5% more dangerous |
Dartford Compared to Nearby Medium-Sized Towns
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitstable | 2,000 | 60.18 | 63% safer |
| Herne Bay | 2,541 | 62.16 | 58% safer |
| Broadstairs and St. Peters | 1,729 | 66.95 | 46% safer |
| Tonbridge | 2,999 | 72.59 | 35% safer |
| Sittingbourne | 5,120 | 95.60 | 2.6% safer |
| Dartford | 5,776 | 98.04 | - |
| Northfleet | 3,485 | 115.93 | 15% more dangerous |
| Gravesend | 6,865 | 117.07 | 16% more dangerous |
| Folkestone | 6,191 | 126.54 | 23% more dangerous |
| Ramsgate | 5,826 | 138.94 | 29% more dangerous |
| Dover | 5,271 | 157.17 | 38% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Dartford
View crime percentage over time forDartford Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 22 | 16 | 19 | 25 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.63 | 1.0 | 0.83 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 3.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 2.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.54 | 0.68 | 0.81 | 0.85 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 7 | 11 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.92 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.95 | 0.81 | 1.3 | 0.70 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 8 | 12 | 9 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 39 | 44 | 48 | 43 | Safer |
Changes In Dartford's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Dartford to the UK's Major Cities
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 45% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 27% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 18% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 14% safer |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 14% safer |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 0.62% safer |
| Dartford | 98.04 | - |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 4.7% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 9% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 26% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 28% more dangerous |
Crime in Dartford's Neighbourhoods
Central Dartford & West Hill is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Dartford, followed by Newtown in second place, and Temple Hill & Marshes as the third most dangerous area. Dartford's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Ebbsfleet & Greenhithe, Heath, and Joydens Wood.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Dartford & West Hill | 1,891 | 165 | First |
| Ebbsfleet & Greenhithe | 1,116 | 86 | Fifth |
| Heath | 366 | 48 | Seventh |
| Joydens Wood | 376 | 53 | Sixth |
| Newtown | 1,355 | 134 | Second |
| Temple Hill & Marshes | 1,339 | 104 | Third |
| Tree Estate | 595 | 90 | Fourth |
Dartford Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Dartford for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Heath (104) | Central Dartford & West Hill (426) |
| Bicycle Theft | Heath (4) | Central Dartford & West Hill (25) |
| Burglary | Joydens Wood (19) | Central Dartford & West Hill (75) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Joydens Wood (35) | Newtown (159) |
| Drugs | Heath (7) | Central Dartford & West Hill (71) |
| Other Crime | Heath (6) | Central Dartford & West Hill (41) |
| Other Theft | Joydens Wood (16) | Central Dartford & West Hill (147) |
| Possession of Weapons | Joydens Wood (1) | Central Dartford & West Hill (17) |
| Public Order | Joydens Wood (23) | Central Dartford & West Hill (165) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Heath (1) | Central Dartford & West Hill (22) |
| Shoplifting | Joydens Wood (3) | Central Dartford & West Hill (244) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Newtown (1) | Central Dartford & West Hill (32) |
| Vehicle Crime | Heath (46) | Central Dartford & West Hill (148) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Heath (127) | Newtown (794) |
Crime in Dartford During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Dartford change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in March, when Dartford saw a 1,100% increase in possession of weapons. Dartford saw a large fall in theft from the person during November, when it fell by 80% compared to November in 2019. Dartford saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including burglary, robbery, and violence and sexual offences.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -4% | +147% | +105% | +80% | +16% | +8% | +14% | -13% | +46% | +21% |
| Bicycle Theft | -33% | +75% | -44% | -17% | +400% | +150% | -11% | +350% | +100% | -33% |
| Burglary | -28% | -58% | -67% | +30% | -29% | -26% | -14% | -54% | -41% | -64% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -24% | -27% | +16% | +20% | -2% | +21% | - | -11% | -32% | - |
| Drugs | +6% | +275% | +36% | +100% | +82% | +100% | +333% | +44% | +33% | +73% |
| Other Crime | -27% | -42% | -38% | +33% | +25% | +27% | -55% | -47% | -38% | -26% |
| Other Theft | -5% | -42% | -55% | - | -40% | - | -33% | -17% | -19% | -40% |
| Possession of Weapons | +1,100% | +100% | -25% | +50% | +20% | - | -20% | +40% | - | -50% |
| Public Order | +7% | -3% | -35% | -26% | -4% | +5% | +5% | -27% | -14% | -3% |
| Robbery | -42% | -20% | -55% | -71% | - | -64% | -60% | -33% | -58% | -33% |
| Shoplifting | +13% | -72% | -67% | -7% | +13% | - | - | - | +50% | -18% |
| Theft From the Person | -20% | - | -75% | -67% | -57% | -50% | -17% | -57% | -80% | +20% |
| Vehicle Crime | +50% | -34% | -5% | -63% | -43% | -29% | -66% | -19% | -18% | +9% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -2% | -14% | -16% | -21% | -14% | +21% | -12% | -4% | -7% | -12% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Dartford
What police force serves Dartford?
Dartford's local territorial police force is the Kent Police.How dangerous is Dartford?
Dartford is among the top 10 most dangerous medium-sized towns in Kent.What is Dartford's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Dartford are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Dartford?
Dartford's least common crime is theft from the person (inc. pickpocketing).Last updated: 07 May 2021