It is important for every citizen to know about the crime rates of their area to take preventive measures for the sake of saving their families, friends, and relatives. Also, knowing the stats of the crime rate in your area helps you protect yourself and your business premises as well. These things can help you get the best security measures to ensure everything is safe and sound around you and your property.
In this blog, we are going to share the list of the top 15 most dangerous areas in London and the data we are taking is from the Metropolitan Police Services website. This data is publically available on the internet and you can check and confirm all the stats from their website as well. We are taking the most recent stats they have shared on their website from May 2023 to January 2024.
London, which is the capital of England, has a lot of faces and everyone who visits London has their own storey to tell. Some know London for its hustle and bustle culture on the other hand, some tell storeys about the past and heritage. Some tell how the people helped them there while some tell how they got robbed. London is full of life and people try to adapt to the lifestyle to open up to great opportunities.
When talking about London, it is the most populated area of England. According to Statista, the total population of London was approximately 8.9 million in 2022 which means there was a massive growth of almost 2 million in London’s population as compared to the early 1980s. Moreover, almost 30 million people visit London annually, contributing to England’s economy and creating better business and working opportunities there.
What is the Overall Crime Rate in London?
We all know that good and bad are both parts of life. At every place where good people exist, bad people also do. Undoubtedly, London is the capital and the business hub for the country but there are also some issues that London has been facing for a long time. Crime rate is one of them and today we’ll discuss the top 15 places with the highest crimes rates and illegal activities.
But before discussing the areas one by one, let’s take a look at the overall crime rate in London. According to the most recent publicly available data, the crime rate in London is 117 crimes per 1000 population. The most common crimes and illegal activities people perform in London are theft, violent crimes, vehicle crimes, arson & criminal damages, Public order offences, burglary, robberies, and drug offences.
So now that you know what kinds of crimes are most common in London, let’s take a look at the worst areas and their crime rates.
Key Insights into Crime in the City of London
One thing you should keep in mind while reading this blog is that we haven’t included the district of London in our list of the top 15 worst areas in London. The reason is that only 8,600 people live there permanently but over half a million people are working there. This is the reason the crime rate in the district is so high.
There were over 7,496 criminal offences happened in the city of London as compared to the last month which means the crime rate in the city of London is 869.8 per 1000 population. But these criminal and illegal activities are usually performed by the outsiders who work there. For this sole reason, we haven’t included the city of London in our list of the top worst areas of London.
The Top 15 Most Dangerous Areas in London
1- Westminster
Westminster is the top and worst area of London in terms of the crime rate and illegal activities. The crime rate of Westminster is 462.8 crimes per 1000 population and the total offences are 75,299 from May 2023 to Jan 2024. The most common crime in this area is theft (58,036). Other common crimes in this area are violence against the person (11,960), robberies (4317), and vehicle offences (4469).
2- Camden
Camden is in 2nd place with the highest criminal and illegal activities. The crime rate in Camden is 197.8 crimes per 1000 population. The most common crime in this area is theft with a total of 18,799 offences. The other common crimes in this area are violence against the person (7,783), and vehicle offences (3207).
3- Kensington & Chelsea
According to the stats, Kensington & Chelsea has a crime rate of 174.5 crimes per 1000 population. The most common crime in these areas is again theft with the 9,873 offences.The other most common offences in these areas are violence against the person (4660), vehicle offences (2982), and shoplifting (1848).
4- Islington
Islington has a crime rate of 145.2 crimes per 1000 population and the total number of offences in this area is 24,091. Some of the most common criminal and illegal activities in this area are theft 10,267), violence against the person (7144), drug crime (1196) and burglary (1188).
5- Hammersmith & Fulham
Hammersmith & Fulham are two neighbouring areas with a crime rate of 140.2 crimes per 1000 Population and the total number of offences in these areas is 19,801. The most common crimes in these areas are theft (7144), violence against the person 5967), vehicle offences (3186), violence both without (4014 offences) and with injury (1952 offences).
6- Hackney
Hackney has a crime rate of 139.5 crimes per 1000 population and the total number of offences in this area is 28,008. Some of the most common criminal and illegal activities in this area are theft (10,574), violence against the person (8781), vehicle offences (1,939), burglary (1,897), public order offences (1,833), arson and criminal damages (1,398), robberies (1,240), and drug offences (909).
7- Southwark
Southwark is considered one of the most dangerous areas of London with a crime rate of 135.7 crimes per 1000 population. The most common crimes in this area are theft (14,726), violence against the person (9194), vehicle offences (2765), burglary (2562), and drug offences (1,038).
8- Haringey
Haringey has a crime rate of 129.1 crimes per 1000 population with a total number of 25,329 offences counted. The most common crimes in this area are violence against the person (8216), theft (8039), vehicle offences (3,073), burglary (1,337), drug offences (1,182), and robberies (1,166).
9- Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets has a crime rate of 128.9 crimes per 1000 population and the total number of offences in this area is 31,935. Some of the most common criminal and illegal activities in this area are theft (10,989), violence against the person (8 10,716), vehicle offences (3197), public order offences (2,161), and burglary (1,848).
10- Lambeth
Lambeth is one of the most beautiful areas of London and is a true attraction for visitors. The crime rate in Lambeth is 126 crimes per 1000 population and the total offences are 30,530 from Feb 2023 to Jan 2024. The most common crime in this area is theft with a total of 11,566 offences. The other common crimes in this area are violence against the person (9940), vehicle offences (2,283), and public order offences (1,926).
11- Newham
Newhan is known for its sports and event-rich culture. Newham has a crime rate of 122.1 crimes per 1000 population with a total number of 33,796 offences counted. The most common crimes in this area are theft (12,126), violence against the person (8,341), vehicle offences (4901), other accepted crimes (3,527), public order offences (1,713), and shoplifting (2304).
12- Barking & Dagenham
Barking & Dagenham are two neighbouring areas with a crime rate of 115.7 crimes per 1000 Population and the total number of offences in these areas is 19,123. Most common crimes in these areas are violence against the person (7573), theft (4520), and vehicle offences (2714).
13- Greenwich
Greenwich has a crime rate of 115.3 crimes per 1000 population with a total number of 25,470 offences counted. The most common crimes in this area are violence against the person (9914), theft (6510), vehicle offences (3105), and drug offences (1439).
14- Lewisham
Lewisham has a crime rate of 113.9 crimes per 1000 population with a total number of 25,773 offences counted. The most common crimes in this area are violence against the person (9662), and theft (6854). These two are the highly concerning issues for the residents and are increasing gradually creating troubles for everyone.
15- Hounslow
Hounslow has a crime rate of 110.4 crimes per 1000 population with a total number of 24,796 offences counted. The most common crimes in this area are violence against the person (9044), theft (6086), and vehicle offences (4056).
Safety Tips and Recommendations for London’s Residents
We know it’s difficult to live in a place with a high crime rate and illegal activities but there are some tips and recommendations you can use or adapt to make sure everything is safe around you. Here are some of them:
Safety Gears
There are plenty of safety gears available in the market that can help you ensure your safety and security. You can carry the pepper spray or the folding steel stick. Carrying a personal alarm is also a good option that you can use for the sake of security.
Property Safety
Maintaining a business in a high-crime place is a huge challenge but you can take preventive measures by using the devices and tools for your property safety. Guard Mark Security can help you install the CCTV cameras and then monitor them to ensure your property is safe, especially at nighttime. Moreover, we can help you by installing the alarms and motion detectors.
Secured Routes
Avoid taking the short routes and always try to take the busy and well-lit routes so that there will be fewer chances of you getting robbed.
So these are some of the things that you can use and adopt for the sake of your and your business’s safety in London.
The Pointed Truth About Guns and Knife Crimes In London
According to Statista, the total number of knife and sharp object crimes in 2022/2023 in London is 12,786. The highest was in 2019/2020 about 15,928 crimes related to the knife and sharp objects. Moreover, the number of crimes related to guns and firearms is 1,085 in 2022/23 and the highest was in 2016/2017 about 2,136 crimes in London.
When it comes to knife crime in London, almost half of the knife crimes that happened in London were part of burglaries and armed robberies in banks, houses, and business corporations. Moreover, nearly 30% of knife crimes were related to violence in which somebody got harmed or injured. What’s more shocking is that almost 231 instances were reported to the Police related to rape or sexual assault in which a knife or sharp object was used.
In the past year, when we see the broader picture, the knife crime rate is gradually decreasing and The Ben Kinsella Trust has played a big part in discouraging this act in youth. They are educating youth in different ways for the sake of charging their perception for knife crime and playing their part for the betterment of society. ( See out Is Knife Crime in UK Schools on the Rise? ).
Has the Cost of Living Crisis Affected London Crime Rates?
The cost of living crisis has put financial strain on households across the UK, and emerging data suggests a concerning link to rising crime rates. While it’s hard to pinpoint a direct cause, crime has increased in 30 out of London’s 32 boroughs, a strong indicator that economic hardship may be contributing to a spike in criminal activity.
Theft from Workplaces on the Rise
In 2022/2023, statistics found over 6,500 incidents of employees stealing from their workplace were recorded. Insurer Zurich estimates the average cost of commercial crimes to be around £140,000. This not only highlights financial struggles but also opportunistic behaviour during tough times. Moreover, the Metropolitan Police recorded the highest number of employee theft cases, with 874 offences reported. In contrast, the City of London Police reported just 18 incidents of employee theft.
Other Crimes Reflect Growing Financial Pressure
Workplace theft isn’t the only area where rising costs and economic instability seem to have an impact. Several other crime categories in London have shown significant increases compared to the previous year. Here are some key statistics:
- Theft: 283,902 offences (+17.7%)
- Burglary: 56,696 offences (+5.1%)
- Shoplifting: 58,405 offences (+48.3%)
- Robbery: 34,158 offences (+21%)
- Motor Vehicle Theft: 32,947 offences (+1.4%)
Addressing these challenges will require collective efforts to tackle both crime and its root causes ensuring safety remains a priority, even in difficult times.
Ideal Security Guarding Company in London
Guard Mark Security is one of the most well-known and reputed security guard companies in London and has helped hundreds of businesses ensure the safety and security of their employees, customers, and premises. All of our security guards are SIA licenced and are vetted per BS7858 Standards.
If you are looking for a professional company that can take care of all your security needs, Guard Mark is the one. Contact us to get more information related to our services. Our friendly and knowledgeable team is here 24/7 to answer all your queries in the best manner. Let’s make London a safer place together.
