Bexley Crime Overview
Bexley is among the top 5 safest cities in London, and is among the top 5 safest overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Bexley in 2020 was 63 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to London's overall crime rate, coming in 39% lower than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bexley is among the top 10 safest cities, and the 1,875th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
The most common crimes in Bexley are violence and sexual offences, with 5,651 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 23. This is 2.8% higher than 2019's figure of 5,495 offences and a difference of 0.63 from 2019's crime rate of 22. Bexley's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 91 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 47% from 2019's figure of 134 crimes.
Compare Bexley to other towns and cities
See how Bexley shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Bexley and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Bexley Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Bexley This Year
| Bexley | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 7,690 | 30.97 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 50% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 91 | 0.37 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 635% safer |
| Burglary | 1,042 | 4.20 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 62% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,474 | 5.94 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 2.7% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 805 | 3.24 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 82% safer |
| Other Crime | 235 | 0.95 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 21% safer |
| Other Theft | 1,288 | 5.19 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 81% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 107 | 0.43 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 56% safer |
| Public Order | 1,303 | 5.25 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 20% safer |
| Robbery | 313 | 1.26 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 144% safer |
| Shoplifting | 793 | 3.19 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 25% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 116 | 0.47 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 734% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 2,377 | 9.57 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 26% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 5,651 | 22.76 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 13% safer |
Crime in Bexley Compared To London
Bexley Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrow | 15,144 | 60.30 | 4.2% safer |
| Kingston upon Thames | 10,770 | 60.67 | 3.5% safer |
| Richmond upon Thames | 12,298 | 62.11 | 1.1% safer |
| Sutton | 12,872 | 62.38 | 0.69% safer |
| Bexley | 15,595 | 62.81 | - |
| Havering | 16,717 | 64.41 | 2.5% more dangerous |
| Merton | 13,453 | 65.13 | 3.6% more dangerous |
| Bromley | 21,684 | 65.25 | 3.7% more dangerous |
| Barnet | 26,806 | 67.71 | 7% more dangerous |
| Wandsworth | 24,282 | 73.65 | 15% more dangerous |
Bexley Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 19 | 17 | 17 | 31 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.61 | 0.70 | 0.54 | 0.37 | Safer |
| Burglary | 5 | 7 | 7 | 4.2 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 3.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.78 | 0.76 | 0.87 | 0.95 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.39 | 0.36 | 0.52 | 0.43 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.2 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.78 | 0.75 | 0.86 | 0.47 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 10 | 13 | 10 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 18 | 19 | 22 | 23 | Getting worse |
Changes In Bexley's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Bexley to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Bexley | 62.81 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 7% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 19% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 25% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 27% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 27% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 36% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 39% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 41% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 53% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 54% more dangerous |
Crime in Bexley's Neighbourhoods
Erith East is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Bexley, followed by Bexleyheath Broadway in second place, and Slade Green & Crayford Marshes as the third most dangerous area. Bexley's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Falconwood, Longlands & Halfway, and St Michael's.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Park | 285 | 37 | 25th |
| Barnehurst North | 332 | 42 | 20th |
| Barnehurst South | 532 | 66 | 11th |
| Belvedere & Lessness Heath | 924 | 88 | Fifth |
| Bexley Village | 416 | 52 | 16th |
| Bexleyheath Broadway | 1,047 | 119 | Second |
| Blackfen | 319 | 40 | 21st |
| Bostall | 399 | 37 | 23rd |
| Bursted Wood | 306 | 37 | 22nd |
| Crayford | 1,048 | 91 | Fourth |
| Crossway Park | 598 | 67 | Tenth |
| Danson Park | 405 | 37 | 24th |
| Erith East | 1,341 | 163 | First |
| Erith West | 396 | 57 | 14th |
| Falconwood | 296 | 32 | 27th |
| Foots Cray Meadows | 526 | 78 | Sixth |
| Lamorbey | 360 | 49 | 19th |
| Lesnes Abbey | 406 | 50 | 18th |
| Lesney Farm & Colyers East | 542 | 62 | 12th |
| Longlands & Halfway | 236 | 30 | 28th |
| Northumberland Heath | 517 | 68 | Ninth |
| Sidcup East | 504 | 51 | 17th |
| Sidcup West | 649 | 68 | Eighth |
| Slade Green & Crayford Marshes | 1,257 | 96 | Third |
| South Thamesmead | 741 | 73 | Seventh |
| St Michael's | 297 | 36 | 26th |
| Welling | 594 | 57 | 13th |
| Wickham Street & East Wickham | 353 | 53 | 15th |
Bexley Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Bexley for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Bostall (156) | Erith East (420) |
| Bicycle Theft | Danson Park (1) | Crayford (12) |
| Burglary | Longlands & Halfway (16) | Erith East (103) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Longlands & Halfway (13) | Erith East (124) |
| Drugs | Bursted Wood (7) | Erith East (114) |
| Other Crime | St Michael's (2) | Erith East (18) |
| Other Theft | Longlands & Halfway (11) | Erith East (176) |
| Possession of Weapons | Falconwood (1) | Erith East (12) |
| Public Order | St Michael's (16) | Erith East (105) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Danson Park (3) | Bexleyheath Broadway (44) |
| Shoplifting | Crossway Park (1) | Bexleyheath Broadway (120) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Danson Park (1) | Bexleyheath Broadway (40) |
| Vehicle Crime | Bostall (38) | Erith East (194) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Longlands & Halfway (72) | Erith East (384) |
Crime in Bexley During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Bexley change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Bexley saw a 220% increase in anti-social behaviour. Bexley saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 87% compared to April in 2019. Rates of other theft and shoplifting both fell year-on-year for every month during Bexley's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +26% | +186% | +220% | +93% | +20% | +46% | +43% | +36% | +113% | +110% |
| Bicycle Theft | -70% | -64% | +9% | -38% | -38% | -69% | +31% | -38% | -43% | -40% |
| Burglary | -41% | -69% | -63% | -56% | -28% | -39% | -19% | -61% | -42% | -56% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +10% | -43% | -18% | -39% | -9% | +18% | +30% | -9% | -15% | -7% |
| Drugs | -16% | +80% | +62% | +7% | +27% | +16% | -20% | +39% | +32% | +51% |
| Other Crime | -14% | -12% | +86% | -5% | +56% | +73% | +82% | +14% | +35% | +5% |
| Other Theft | -2% | -43% | -46% | -15% | -27% | -13% | +3% | -27% | -28% | -14% |
| Possession of Weapons | -67% | -55% | +36% | -20% | -27% | +14% | -25% | +25% | -46% | +25% |
| Public Order | +27% | -12% | -7% | -1% | +30% | +44% | +9% | -7% | +25% | -19% |
| Robbery | -17% | -58% | -59% | +7% | -49% | +38% | +29% | -40% | -11% | -66% |
| Shoplifting | -29% | -59% | -23% | -30% | -2% | -4% | +29% | -15% | -32% | -4% |
| Theft From the Person | -38% | -87% | -58% | -12% | -74% | -20% | -55% | -60% | -50% | -31% |
| Vehicle Crime | -8% | -58% | -45% | -31% | -37% | -34% | -41% | -23% | -16% | -32% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -5% | -18% | -6% | -1% | +22% | +19% | +9% | -8% | +9% | +4% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Bexley
What police force serves Bexley?
Bexley's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Bexley?
Bexley is among the top 5 safest cities in London.What is Bexley's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Bexley are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Bexley?
Bexley's least common crime is bicycle theft.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021