Crime in Southborough
Recorded crime in Southborough is 0.9 times the Tunbridge Wells average and 0.7 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 33%. 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 Southborough: about 11,931 residents in 12 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 6/10Average crime
- Living
- 7.9/10Good
- 5-year change
- −33%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 0.9×the Tunbridge Wells average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Southborough.
Crime over 5 years
Down 33% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Southborough, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 0.9× the Tunbridge Wells average (0.7× the England and Wales average). 54 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 71% of the harm here
- Burglary: 12% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% 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: 10 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 TN4
In TN4, the postcode district at the centre of Southborough, 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) | 775 | 8% | 8% | 66% | 13% | 5% |
| Shoplifting | 194 | 32% | 9% | 8% | 48% | 3% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 178 | 6% | 5% | 28% | 58% | 2% |
| Other theft | 135 | 3% | 1% | 31% | 59% | 5% |
| Public order | 88 | 18% | 3% | 32% | 41% | 6% |
| Drugs | 67 | 30% | 18% | 25% | 21% | 6% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 59 | 10% | 0% | 10% | 76% | 3% |
| Burglary | 56 | 7% | 0% | 16% | 70% | 7% |
| Other crime | 55 | 13% | 9% | 55% | 18% | 5% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 5% 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 | 0.3 |
| Burglary | 3.0 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 26.9 |
| Drugs | 1.5 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.4 |
| Other crime | 1.8 |
| Other theft | 4.3 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.2 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 3.0 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 6.5 |
| Public order | 3.9 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 1.7 |
Postcode districts in Southborough
Nearby towns
Council: Tunbridge Wells
Questions about crime in Southborough
- Is Southborough a safe place to live?
- Southborough scores 6 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 0.9 times the Tunbridge Wells average.
- Is crime going up or down in Southborough?
- Down 33% over 5 years, from 678 recorded crimes a year to 453.
- What is the most common crime in Southborough?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 27 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Southborough compare with Tunbridge Wells?
- Crime severity in Southborough is 0.9 times the Tunbridge Wells average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Southborough?
- In TN4, the postcode district at the centre of Southborough, 12% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 33% were closed without a suspect being identified.
- How many burglaries are solved in Southborough?
- Of 56 burglaries reported in TN4, the postcode district at the centre of Southborough between September 2024 and August 2025, 7% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 70% were closed with no suspect identified.