2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Hedi Mehrez)
A new interactive map has revealed the most dangerous places in Kent based on the latest crime rates across the county. The data highlights the city and town centres plagued by the highest levels of violent crime and sexual offences. Office police data shows that there was more violence in Central and Riverside last year than in any other part of the county.
recorded a total of 1,420 violent crimes and sexual offences during 2024 in the busy town centre area. That is the equivalent of around four people being attacked, raped or sexually assaulted every day in 2024. Of those cases, 11 per cent (154) were detected.
This means a suspect was charged with an offence, received a caution, or a local resolution was put in place. The figures may include some crimes which were later reclassified or cancelled. After Chatham town centre, Ringlestone and Central , was the next most dangerous place to visit, with 1,345 violent and sexual crimes in 2024, or the equivalent of four attacks each day.
Of those crimes, 11 per cent (151) were detected. Newtown in Dartford was third highest with 1,137 crimes, of which six per cent were detected (71). Superintendent Pete Steenhuis of Kent Police said: "There are many factors that can influence the prevalence of certain crime types in a particular area including population size, the level of social deprivation and the number of visitors to town or city centre locations.
"Whilst it is understandable that the public perception of crime may be distorted by certain statistics, I would like to reassure residents that Kent remains a safe place to live and that officers proactively target those responsible for committing violent offences. "The force has a number of teams dedicated to tackling this type of offending who relentlessly pursue those who commit violent acts including serious assaults, robberies and aggravated burglaries resulting in hundreds of offenders now being behind bars. We also receive additional funding from the Home Office to increase patrols in areas where antisocial behaviour and violent crime is most prevalent.
"As a key member of the Kent and Violence Reduction Unit alongside local councils, health providers and other partners, we are committed to addressing and understanding the causes of violent crime and supporting those involved and affected by it. We therefore work closely with schools, youth groups, charities and other organisations to commission projects and interventions that engage with young people in particular and help to steer them away from criminal activity. "Keeping people from safe from harm remains our top priority and we will continue to target anyone who puts innocent members of the public at risk to ensure they are brought to justice.
" The crime map records around 1.8 million reported offences. Of those, 136,000 (8 per cent) were detected.
The map also reveals the neighbourhoods where violent offenders have not been brought to justice. In Kent, one neighbourhood saw 76 violent offences, and not a single suspect has been charged, cautioned, or dealt with via a local resolution. That was Hartley and Hodsoll Street in , which was the only neighbourhood in Kent with a detection rate of zero - meaning no-one was charged, cautioned or dealt with via a local resolution - over the entire year.
Figures are available for every one of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods in England and Wales apart from areas covered by Greater Manchester Police, as the force has not supplied crime data for last year. Crime figures are available for neighbourhoods of between 7,000-10,000 residents, which are designated as Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs) by the government. The statistics do not include crimes committed at train stations as they are recorded by British Transport Police.
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