Crime in Margate
Recorded crime in Margate is 1.7 times the Thanet average and 2.5 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 28%. 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 Margate: about 24,548 residents in 20 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 6.7/10Good
- 5-year change
- −28%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.7×the Thanet average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Margate.
Crime over 5 years
Down 28% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Margate, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.7× the Thanet average (2.5× the England and Wales average). 189 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 71% of the harm here
- Burglary: 9% of the harm here
- Robbery: 6% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 71% 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: 44 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 CT9
In CT9, the postcode district at the centre of Margate, 10% 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) | 3,081 | 7% | 7% | 70% | 14% | 2% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 623 | 9% | 6% | 34% | 49% | 1% |
| Other theft | 450 | 1% | 1% | 30% | 64% | 4% |
| Shoplifting | 441 | 29% | 4% | 11% | 54% | 1% |
| Public order | 385 | 23% | 8% | 41% | 23% | 5% |
| Drugs | 294 | 16% | 41% | 26% | 13% | 3% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 236 | 2% | 1% | 17% | 80% | 0% |
| Other crime | 196 | 11% | 5% | 56% | 24% | 4% |
| Burglary | 166 | 5% | 2% | 30% | 62% | 1% |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 82 | 27% | 12% | 46% | 12% | 2% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 2% 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 | 2.1 |
| Burglary | 7.0 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 92.3 |
| Drugs | 7.7 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 2.1 |
| Other crime | 5.0 |
| Other theft | 14.1 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 1.3 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 7.3 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 20.5 |
| Public order | 16.7 |
| Bicycle theft | 1.8 |
| Shoplifting | 10.6 |
Postcode districts in Margate
Nearby towns
Council: Thanet
Questions about crime in Margate
- Is Margate a safe place to live?
- Margate scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.7 times the Thanet average.
- Is crime going up or down in Margate?
- Down 28% over 5 years, from 4,937 recorded crimes a year to 3,565.
- What is the most common crime in Margate?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 92 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Margate compare with Thanet?
- Crime severity in Margate is 1.7 times the Thanet average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Margate?
- In CT9, the postcode district at the centre of Margate, 10% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 30% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Margate?
- Of 166 burglaries reported in CT9, the postcode district at the centre of Margate between September 2024 and August 2025, 5% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 62% were closed with no suspect identified.