If you live in Kent, you will undoubtedly be appalled by the police-recorded crime figures for Sheppey…

In the year from March 2014 to February 2015, 4,746 crimes were reported to police! In addition to that, there will also be some that have not been reported, so it would be reasonable to assume that the figure is over 5,000.

Certainly, these figures are far higher than other places in Kent, and may well be the highest per head of population.

In fact, with a population of just about 38,000, that is roughly one crime for every eight people!

One Burglary For Every 41 Households

As with other places in Kent, antisocial behaviour, violence and sexual offences accounted for the largest number of crimes.

However, burglary was not far behind with 430 cases reported during the year. With just short of 18,000 households on the island, that is one burglary for every 41 households.

Look at it this way – the average life expectancy in the UK is 81, so if you lived on Sheppey your entire life, you would get burgled twice!

Why are the crime figures for Sheppey so high?

It is possible that the burglary figure is so high because Sheppey residents do not take the precaution of having burglar alarms installed.

The figure for break-ins is higher than many other places in Kent and it’s obvious that burglars want an easy life…

If they see that a home has a burglar alarm, security lighting and CCTV, they are far more likely to choose somewhere that does not have this sort of protection.

After all, if they can break into a home with less risk of getting caught, that is what they will do.

Kent Police Advice

Kent police have a list of suggestions in order to prevent burglary:

  • The first thing is to install a burglar alarm.
  • Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even if you are only in the garden!
  • Don’t leave keys in sight and keep them away from the letterbox. Burglars may use a device to hook them through it.
  • Leave radios and lights on a timer to make your house look occupied.
  • Keep ladders and tools stored away, as they could be used to break in.
  • Remove valuables from within view of ground floor windows.
  • Store high-value items in a safe or a bank vault.
  • Secure bikes by locking them to an immovable object inside a locked garage or shed.
  • Ensure that side gates are locked.

All of this advice should be taken on board. The last thing you want is to become just another one of Sheppey’s crime statistics.

Get a free home security review by completing the box below

Submit your details so we can give you a free home security evaluation, offering you a personalised package tailored to your needs.