Crime in Swanley
Recorded crime in Swanley is 1.3 times the Sevenoaks average and 1.1 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 30%. 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 Swanley: about 18,257 residents in 17 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 4/10Above average crime
- Living
- 8.0/10Good
- 5-year change
- −30%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.3×the Sevenoaks average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Swanley.
Crime over 5 years
Down 30% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Swanley, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.3× the Sevenoaks average (1.1× the England and Wales average). 88 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 67% of the harm here
- Burglary: 11% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 67% 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: 16 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 BR8
In BR8, the postcode district at the centre of Swanley, 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) | 696 | 8% | 12% | 61% | 14% | 5% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 198 | 1% | 8% | 27% | 64% | 1% |
| Other theft | 124 | 3% | 3% | 24% | 69% | 1% |
| Shoplifting | 121 | 22% | 4% | 8% | 62% | 3% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 109 | 4% | 0% | 11% | 82% | 4% |
| Public order | 102 | 19% | 3% | 34% | 33% | 11% |
| Other crime | 73 | 22% | 7% | 42% | 19% | 10% |
| Drugs | 65 | 17% | 37% | 22% | 22% | 3% |
| Burglary | 56 | 5% | 0% | 25% | 66% | 4% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 4% 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 | 0.6 |
| Burglary | 3.9 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 36.5 |
| Drugs | 2.4 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 0.6 |
| Other crime | 2.6 |
| Other theft | 7.1 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 0.4 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 7.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 12.1 |
| Public order | 6.3 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.5 |
| Shoplifting | 7.1 |
Postcode districts in Swanley
Nearby towns
Council: Sevenoaks
Questions about crime in Swanley
- Is Swanley a safe place to live?
- Swanley scores 4 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.3 times the Sevenoaks average.
- Is crime going up or down in Swanley?
- Down 30% over 5 years, from 1,829 recorded crimes a year to 1,283.
- What is the most common crime in Swanley?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences), about 37 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Swanley compare with Sevenoaks?
- Crime severity in Swanley is 1.3 times the Sevenoaks average.
- How often does crime lead to a charge in Swanley?
- In BR8, the postcode district at the centre of Swanley, 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 Swanley?
- Of 56 burglaries reported in BR8, the postcode district at the centre of Swanley between September 2024 and August 2025, 5% led to someone being charged or summonsed and 66% were closed with no suspect identified.