Crime in Dover
Recorded crime in Dover is 2.1 times the Dover council average and 2.3 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 22%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Dover: about 23,011 residents in 19 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 7.9/10Good
- 5-year change
- −22%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 2.1×the Dover council average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Dover.
Crime over 5 years
Down 22% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Dover, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 2.1× the Dover council average (2.3× the England and Wales average). 178 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 73% of the harm here
- Burglary: 8% of the harm here
- Robbery: 6% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 73% 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: 39 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
How often crimes lead to a charge in CT16
In CT16, the postcode district at the centre of Dover, 12% 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) | 1,317 | 10% | 8% | 65% | 16% | 2% |
| Shoplifting | 298 | 30% | 4% | 10% | 54% | 2% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 284 | 5% | 5% | 32% | 56% | 2% |
| Other theft | 184 | 3% | 3% | 32% | 59% | 4% |
| Public order | 162 | 17% | 4% | 50% | 24% | 4% |
| Drugs | 131 | 18% | 27% | 31% | 16% | 8% |
| Other crime | 118 | 15% | 14% | 45% | 17% | 9% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 103 | 5% | 0% | 12% | 82% | 2% |
| Burglary | 56 | 7% | 0% | 27% | 63% | 4% |
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.
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 | 2.0 |
| Burglary | 6.0 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 87.6 |
| Drugs | 5.4 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 2.0 |
| Other crime | 6.3 |
| Other theft | 12.0 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 1.2 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 5.4 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 18.8 |
| Public order | 16.0 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.1 |
| Shoplifting | 14.7 |
Postcode districts in Dover
Nearby towns
Council: Dover
Questions about crime in Dover
- Is Dover a safe place to live?
- Dover scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 2.1 times the Dover council average.
- Is crime going up or down in Dover?
- Down 22% over 5 years, from 4,487 recorded crimes a year to 3,509.
- What is the most common crime in Dover?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 88 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Dover compare with Dover council?
- Crime severity in Dover is 2.1 times the Dover council average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Dover?
- In CT16, the postcode district at the centre of Dover, 12% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 31% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Dover?
- Of 56 burglaries reported in CT16, the postcode district at the centre of Dover between September 2024 and August 2025, 7% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 63% were closed with no suspect identified.