Crime in London
Recorded crime in London is 4.4 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 9%. The biggest share of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences). Police data to August 2026.
Within 3 km of the centre of London: about 227,747 residents in 187 neighbourhoods.
- Safety in the UK
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 9.4/10Excellent
- 5-year change
- +9%more crimes
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 3 km of the centre of London.
Crime over 5 years
Up 9% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 3 km of London, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 4.4× the England and Wales average. 387 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences): 28% of the harm here
- Robbery: 25% of the harm here
- Other theft: 14% of the harm here
Anti-social behaviour: 75 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 WC2N
In WC2N, the postcode district at the centre of London, 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 1,088 | 1% | 0% | 3% | 92% | 4% |
| Other theft | 536 | 1% | 0% | 6% | 89% | 4% |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 376 | 13% | 2% | 37% | 37% | 11% |
| Robbery | 112 | 4% | 0% | 13% | 77% | 5% |
| Public order | 100 | 19% | 0% | 32% | 34% | 15% |
| Drugs | 88 | 24% | 55% | 8% | 1% | 13% |
| Shoplifting | 87 | 10% | 3% | 13% | 70% | 3% |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 83 | 1% | 0% | 4% | 93% | 2% |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 51 | 20% | 2% | 16% | 53% | 10% |
Uses the latest outcome police have recorded so far. 6% 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 | 16.7 |
| Burglary | 16.4 |
| Violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences) | 62.0 |
| Drugs | 14.5 |
| Possession of weapons (knives and other weapons) | 2.0 |
| Other crime | 2.4 |
| Other theft | 93.1 |
| Theft from the person (pickpocketing, bag snatching) | 92.9 |
| Vehicle crime (cars stolen and broken into) | 18.1 |
| Criminal damage and arson (vandalism) | 11.8 |
| Public order | 19.7 |
| Bicycle theft | 9.9 |
| Shoplifting | 27.7 |
Postcode districts in London
Nearby towns
Questions about crime in London
- Is London a safe place to live?
- London scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in London?
- Up 9% over 5 years, from 85,745 recorded crimes a year to 93,255.
- What is the most common crime in London?
- The most common recorded crime is other theft, about 93 per 1,000 residents a year. The most harm, weighted by how serious each crime is, comes from violence and sexual offences (assaults, harassment, sexual offences).
- How often does crime lead to a charge in London?
- In WC2N, the postcode district at the centre of London, 5% of crimes reported between September 2024 and August 2025 led to someone being charged or summonsed (England and Wales: 9%). 75% were closed without a suspect being identified.