Crime in Canterbury
Recorded crime in Canterbury is 1.1 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 9%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
162,100 residents in 92 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 3/10Above average crime
- Safety in the world
- 7/10Low crime
- Living
- 6.7/10Good
- 5-year change
- −9%fewer crimes
Crime over 5 years
Down 9% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Canterbury, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.1× the England and Wales average. 90 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 68% of the harm here
- Burglary: 11% of the harm here
- Robbery: 5% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 68% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 19 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.9 |
| Burglary | 4.1 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 39.0 |
| Drugs | 2.5 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.8 |
| Other crime | 2.2 |
| Other theft | 7.4 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.7 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 4.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 10.8 |
| Public order | 6.4 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.4 |
| Shoplifting | 9.0 |
What crimes are recorded in Canterbury
Kent Police did not assign 44.5% of its recorded crime to a council area, so figures for a single council would be misleading.
Kent Police area: 871 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in 2025/26 (872 the year before). This covers the whole police force area, not only Canterbury.
Source: Home Office, police recorded knife crime by police force.
How often crimes lead to a charge
In Canterbury, 9% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%).
- Charged or summonsed
- Caution or other action
- Suspect found, not prosecuted
- No suspect identified
- Still open
Show as a table
| Type | Crimes | Charged or summonsed | Caution or other action | Suspect found, not prosecuted | No suspect identified | Still open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 6,004 | 6% | 9% | 67% | 16% | 3% |
| Shoplifting | 2,494 | 17% | 6% | 12% | 61% | 4% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 1,418 | 5% | 7% | 33% | 53% | 1% |
| Other theft | 1,117 | 2% | 2% | 23% | 68% | 4% |
| Public order | 705 | 12% | 9% | 41% | 33% | 5% |
| Drugs | 669 | 17% | 42% | 25% | 12% | 3% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 650 | 4% | 0% | 18% | 76% | 2% |
| Other crime | 427 | 13% | 12% | 51% | 18% | 6% |
| Burglary | 411 | 8% | 1% | 25% | 64% | 1% |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 171 | 29% | 20% | 44% | 4% | 4% |
| Bicycle theft | 163 | 1% | 1% | 7% | 88% | 4% |
| Robbery | 139 | 9% | 1% | 42% | 47% | 1% |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 90 | 2% | 0% | 21% | 73% | 3% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 3% of these crimes are still open, so the final figures may be a little higher.
Towns and cities in Canterbury
Postcode districts in Canterbury
Questions about crime in Canterbury
- Is Canterbury a safe place to live?
- Canterbury scores 3 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Canterbury?
- Down 9% over 5 years, from 15,291 recorded crimes a year to 13,988.
- What is the most common crime in Canterbury?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 39 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Canterbury?
- In Canterbury, 9% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 37% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Canterbury?
- Of 411 burglaries reported in Canterbury between September 2024 and August 2025, 8% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 64% were closed with no suspect identified.