Folkestone is the third most dangerous medium-sized town in Kent, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of Kent's 333 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Folkestone in 2021 was 121 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Kent's overall crime rate, coming in 28% higher than the Kent rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Folkestone is among the top 20 most dangerous medium-sized towns, and the 313rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In September 2021, Folkestone had the worst crime rate in Kent for drugs, with 27 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.55 per 1,000 inhabitants. September 2021 was also a bad month for Folkestone residents, when it was Kent's most dangerous area for possession of weapons, recording 11 crimes at a rate of 0.22 per 1,000 residents. Folkestone recorded 10 reports of bicycle theft during April 2020, making its crime rate of 0.20 the worst for bicycle theft in Kent that month.
The most common crimes in Folkestone are violence and sexual offences, with 3,000 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 61. This is 3.4% higher than 2020's figure of 2,899 offences and a difference of 2.07 from 2020's crime rate of 59. Folkestone's least common crime is robbery, with 35 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 69% from 2020's figure of 59 crimes.
Third Most Dangerous
Medium-Sized Towns, Kent
41% higher, regional crime rate
South East
40% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Folkestone is 41% higher than the South East and 40% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Folkestone | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Folkestone represent the time frame between April 2019 and March 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 121 | 5,936 |
| 2020 | 127 | 6,191 |
| 2019 | 144 | 7,056 |
| 2018 | 144 | 7,070 |
| 2017 | 123 | 6,035 |
| 2016 | 98 | 4,815 |
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| Folkestone | Kent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,461 | 29.86 | 37,004 | 19.89 | 33% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 36 | 0.74 | 964 | 0.52 | 30% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 174 | 3.56 | 5,970 | 3.21 | 10% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 654 | 13.37 | 19,281 | 10.36 | 23% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 215 | 4.39 | 4,015 | 2.16 | 51% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 201 | 4.11 | 5,390 | 2.90 | 29% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 356 | 7.28 | 11,037 | 5.93 | 19% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 76 | 1.55 | 1,220 | 0.66 | 57% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 557 | 11.38 | 13,744 | 7.39 | 35% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 35 | 0.72 | 1,064 | 0.57 | 21% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 428 | 8.75 | 8,849 | 4.76 | 46% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 41 | 0.84 | 794 | 0.43 | 49% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 163 | 3.33 | 7,923 | 4.26 | 28% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,000 | 61.32 | 82,368 | 44.27 | 28% more dangerous |
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadstairs and St. Peters | 1,952 | 75.59 | 60% safer |
| Sittingbourne | 5,383 | 100.52 | 21% safer |
| Dartford | 6,222 | 105.61 | 15% safer |
| Gravesend | 6,514 | 111.08 | 9% safer |
| Northfleet | 3,578 | 119.03 | 1.9% safer |
| Folkestone | 5,936 | 121.32 | - |
| Ramsgate | 6,112 | 145.76 | 17% more dangerous |
| Dover | 5,265 | 156.99 | 23% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Athelstan Road | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near The Tram Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Marten Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Weymouth Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Sandgate Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Peter Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Cheriton Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Drugs | On or near Claremont Road | Further investigation is not in the public interest |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Cheriton Gardens | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Lynwood | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Bowden Crescent | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Kingsmead | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Sports/Recreation Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near East Cliff Passage | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Parking Area | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Green Lane | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 22 | 30 | 43 | 30 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.74 | Safer |
| Burglary | 9 | 7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 4.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 4.1 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 12 | 12 | 9 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 16 | 13 | 11 | 11 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.72 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 14 | 14 | 12 | 9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.74 | 0.80 | 0.86 | 0.84 | Getting worse |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3.3 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 61 | 63 | 59 | 61 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Folkestone that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Road Recreation Ground | 7 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| Morehall Recreation Ground | 2 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.44 |
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 204% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 145% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 81% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 47% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 35% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 34% safer |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 9% safer |
| Folkestone | 121.32 | - |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 1.4% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 8% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 20% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheriton & Horn Street | 709 | 73 | Fifth |
| Folkestone Central | 992 | 138 | Second |
| Folkestone Foord | 930 | 117 | Third |
| Folkestone Harbour | 2,025 | 267 | First |
| Folkestone Morehall & Sandgate | 920 | 70 | Sixth |
| Folkestone North East | 666 | 82 | Fourth |
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Cheriton & Horn Street (164) | Folkestone Harbour (544) |
| Bicycle Theft | Folkestone North East (1) | Folkestone Central (10) |
| Burglary | Cheriton & Horn Street (8) | Folkestone Harbour (73) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Cheriton & Horn Street (67) | Folkestone Harbour (191) |
| Drugs | Cheriton & Horn Street (18) | Folkestone Harbour (74) |
| Other Crime | Folkestone North East (17) | Folkestone Harbour (52) |
| Other Theft | Folkestone Foord (37) | Folkestone Harbour (129) |
| Possession of Weapons | Folkestone Morehall & Sandgate (4) | Folkestone Harbour (31) |
| Public Order | Cheriton & Horn Street (43) | Folkestone Harbour (215) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Folkestone Morehall & Sandgate (2) | Folkestone Harbour (15) |
| Shoplifting | Folkestone North East (4) | Folkestone Harbour (190) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Folkestone North East (1) | Folkestone Harbour (17) |
| Vehicle Crime | Cheriton & Horn Street (21) | Folkestone Harbour (37) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Folkestone Morehall & Sandgate (432) | Folkestone Harbour (991) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Folkestone change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Folkestone saw a 400% increase in theft from the person. Folkestone saw a large fall in possession of weapons during November, when it fell by 87% compared to November in 2019. Criminal Damage and Arson saw a fall in every month of Folkestone's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -9% | +142% | +90% | +24% | +50% | +38% | +28% | +37% | +83% | -2% |
| Bicycle Theft | -40% | - | -40% | +17% | -25% | -46% | -11% | -33% | -33% | - |
| Burglary | -53% | -63% | -56% | -41% | -29% | -25% | -36% | -29% | -60% | -61% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -6% | -28% | -2% | -23% | -8% | -9% | -13% | +8% | -5% | -30% |
| Drugs | +100% | +100% | +62% | +100% | +110% | +9% | -15% | - | +33% | -15% |
| Other Crime | +86% | -13% | +44% | -10% | -6% | - | -25% | -16% | -28% | +67% |
| Other Theft | -52% | -52% | -29% | -8% | -14% | -23% | -38% | -42% | -9% | -13% |
| Possession of Weapons | -14% | +100% | -25% | +140% | +50% | -17% | +43% | -56% | -87% | -86% |
| Public Order | -46% | -23% | -24% | +6% | -25% | -13% | +5% | -17% | -33% | +3% |
| Robbery | -38% | -86% | -58% | - | -50% | +100% | +25% | -57% | -83% | -50% |
| Shoplifting | +5% | -50% | -44% | +4% | +9% | +36% | -4% | -15% | -44% | -26% |
| Theft From the Person | -67% | -50% | +50% | -33% | -75% | +133% | +200% | +400% | +100% | -33% |
| Vehicle Crime | -33% | -76% | -4% | +11% | -23% | -36% | -63% | -39% | -40% | +18% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -32% | -14% | - | +3% | +15% | +42% | +15% | -11% | -10% | -15% |
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