Rochester is among the top 5 most dangerous major towns in Kent, and is the 33rd most dangerous overall out of Kent's 333 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Rochester in 2021 was 101 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Kent's overall crime rate, coming in 14% higher than the Kent rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Rochester is the 28th most dangerous major town, and the 538th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In April 2021, Rochester had the worst crime rate in Kent for shoplifting, with 53 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.80 per 1,000 inhabitants. October 2019 was also a bad month for Rochester residents, when it was Kent's most dangerous area for other crime, recording 41 crimes at a rate of 0.62 per 1,000 residents. Rochester recorded 78 reports of vehicle crime during May 2019, making its crime rate of 1.2 the worst for vehicle crime in Kent that month.
The most common crimes in Rochester are violence and sexual offences, with 3,632 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 55. This is 8% higher than 2020's figure of 3,350 offences and a difference of 4.24 from 2020's crime rate of 50. Rochester's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 26 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 27% from 2020's figure of 33 crimes.
Top 5 Most Dangerous
Major Towns, Kent
29% higher, regional crime rate
South East
28% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Rochester is 29% higher than the South East and 28% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Rochester | |
| South East | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Rochester 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 | 101 | 6,747 |
| 2020 | 102 | 6,754 |
| 2019 | 118 | 7,857 |
| 2018 | 113 | 7,502 |
| 2017 | 99 | 6,611 |
| 2016 | 76 | 5,065 |
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| Rochester | Kent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 1,383 | 20.80 | 37,004 | 19.89 | 4.4% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 26 | 0.39 | 964 | 0.52 | 33% safer |
| Burglary | 187 | 2.81 | 5,970 | 3.21 | 14% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 661 | 9.94 | 19,281 | 10.36 | 4.2% safer |
| Drugs | 102 | 1.53 | 4,015 | 2.16 | 41% safer |
| Other Crime | 228 | 3.43 | 5,390 | 2.90 | 15% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 414 | 6.23 | 11,037 | 5.93 | 4.8% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 55 | 0.83 | 1,220 | 0.66 | 20% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 554 | 8.33 | 13,744 | 7.39 | 11% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 53 | 0.80 | 1,064 | 0.57 | 29% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 509 | 7.65 | 8,849 | 4.76 | 38% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 34 | 0.51 | 794 | 0.43 | 16% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 292 | 4.39 | 7,923 | 4.26 | 3.0% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,632 | 54.61 | 82,368 | 44.27 | 19% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 3,713 | 61.01 | 66% safer |
| Ashford | 6,850 | 91.02 | 11% safer |
| Maidstone | 10,947 | 91.30 | 11% safer |
| Rochester | 6,747 | 101.45 | - |
| Gillingham | 11,987 | 110.39 | 8% more dangerous |
| Chatham | 9,392 | 116.21 | 13% more dangerous |
| Margate | 8,388 | 127.68 | 21% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Maidstone Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Sarafand Grove | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Pedestrian Subway | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Farmdale Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Smetham Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near St Peter Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Borstal Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Hawser Road | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Fleet Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Silver Streak Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near London Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near City Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Vicarage Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Epaul Lane | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Stock Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Clive Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Maidstone Road | Further investigation is not in the public interest |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Havisham Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near South Eastern Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Alma Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 19 | 19 | 29 | 21 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.60 | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.39 | Safer |
| Burglary | 4.8 | 6 | 3.8 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 1.5 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.4 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.68 | 0.72 | 0.78 | 0.83 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 13 | 9 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.80 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.63 | 0.56 | 0.42 | 0.51 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 10 | 6 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 49 | 54 | 50 | 55 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Rochester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broom Hill Park | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0.86 |
| Priestfields Recreation Ground | 14 | - | - | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2.3 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 154% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 105% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 51% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 23% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 13% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 12% safer |
| Rochester | 101.45 | - |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 9% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 18% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 23% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 33% more dangerous |
Rochester West is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Rochester, followed by Strood South & Temple Marsh in second place, and Strood North & Frindsbury as the third most dangerous area. Rochester's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Broomhill, Rede Common, and Rochester South East.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broomhill | 321 | 54 | Seventh |
| Rede Common | 554 | 84 | Fifth |
| Rochester East | 781 | 116 | Fourth |
| Rochester South East | 353 | 54 | Sixth |
| Rochester West | 1,377 | 183 | First |
| Strood North & Frindsbury | 1,109 | 131 | Third |
| Strood South & Temple Marsh | 1,439 | 146 | Second |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Rochester for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Rochester South East (65) | Rochester West (357) |
| Bicycle Theft | Rochester South East (1) | Strood North & Frindsbury (7) |
| Burglary | Broomhill (2) | Rochester West (49) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Broomhill (30) | Rochester West (153) |
| Drugs | Broomhill (2) | Rochester West (25) |
| Other Crime | Rochester South East (13) | Strood South & Temple Marsh (55) |
| Other Theft | Rochester South East (13) | Rochester West (89) |
| Possession of Weapons | Rede Common (2) | Rochester West (15) |
| Public Order | Broomhill (19) | Strood South & Temple Marsh (135) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Broomhill (1) | Rochester West (14) |
| Shoplifting | Rede Common (3) | Strood South & Temple Marsh (202) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Broomhill (1) | Strood North & Frindsbury (12) |
| Vehicle Crime | Rochester South East (17) | Rochester West (56) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Broomhill (149) | Rochester West (798) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Rochester change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Rochester saw a 600% increase in robbery. Rochester saw a large fall in theft from the person during October, when it fell by 83% compared to October in 2019. Public Order saw a fall in every month of Rochester's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +30% | +126% | +90% | +75% | +87% | +38% | +17% | +8% | +28% | +72% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -80% | +150% | +100% | +250% | - | -25% | -75% | -50% | -50% |
| Burglary | -31% | -63% | -23% | -41% | -46% | -22% | -21% | -14% | -67% | -42% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -13% | -12% | -12% | -25% | +28% | +2% | -5% | -2% | -22% | -5% |
| Drugs | +120% | +200% | +133% | +160% | +200% | -10% | -38% | +8% | +10% | +100% |
| Other Crime | +4% | - | -23% | +100% | -18% | +65% | -17% | -41% | -5% | +19% |
| Other Theft | -49% | -56% | -43% | -49% | -23% | -31% | -29% | -27% | -28% | -44% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | -40% | +150% | - | +400% | -29% | -67% | +200% | -29% | -14% |
| Public Order | -19% | -31% | -35% | -20% | -36% | -18% | -6% | - | -22% | -25% |
| Robbery | -50% | -44% | -38% | -80% | +600% | -33% | -43% | -10% | +13% | +33% |
| Shoplifting | -17% | -35% | -23% | -39% | +39% | +15% | +45% | -35% | -54% | -58% |
| Theft From the Person | -25% | +100% | -80% | -50% | -33% | - | -50% | -83% | +200% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | -46% | -73% | -69% | -52% | -23% | -4% | -68% | -38% | -24% | -43% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +9% | -14% | -12% | -17% | +14% | +4% | -8% | -3% | -23% | -19% |
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