Bromley Crime Overview
Bromley is among the top 10 safest cities in London, and is among the top 10 safest overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Bromley in 2020 was 65 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to London's overall crime rate, coming in 34% lower than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bromley is among the top 20 safest cities, and the 1,727th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2020, Bromley had the worst crime rate in London for shoplifting, with 161 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.48 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The most common crimes in Bromley are violence and sexual offences, with 6,672 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 20. This is 3.1% lower than 2019's figure of 6,876 offences and a difference of 0.61 from 2019's crime rate of 21. Bromley's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 172 offences recorded in 2020, an increase of 13% from 2019's figure of 149 crimes.
Compare Bromley to other towns and cities
See how Bromley shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Bromley and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Bromley Crime Map
Crime in Bromley Compared To London
Summary of Crimes in Bromley This Year
| Bromley | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 10,807 | 32.52 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 43% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 181 | 0.54 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 404% safer |
| Burglary | 1,745 | 5.25 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 30% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,753 | 5.27 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 10% safer |
| Drugs | 1,206 | 3.63 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 63% safer |
| Other Crime | 332 | 1.00 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 15% safer |
| Other Theft | 1,801 | 5.42 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 74% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 172 | 0.52 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 29% safer |
| Public Order | 1,680 | 5.06 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 25% safer |
| Robbery | 512 | 1.54 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 100% safer |
| Shoplifting | 1,718 | 5.17 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 23% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 314 | 0.94 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 317% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,598 | 10.83 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 11% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 6,672 | 20.08 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 28% safer |
Bromley Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond upon Thames | 12,298 | 62.11 | 5% safer |
| Sutton | 12,872 | 62.38 | 4.6% safer |
| Bexley | 15,595 | 62.81 | 3.9% safer |
| Havering | 16,717 | 64.41 | 1.3% safer |
| Merton | 13,453 | 65.13 | 0.18% safer |
| Bromley | 21,684 | 65.25 | - |
| Barnet | 26,806 | 67.71 | 3.6% more dangerous |
| Wandsworth | 24,282 | 73.65 | 11% more dangerous |
| Redbridge | 22,873 | 74.94 | 13% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 32,181 | 83.22 | 22% more dangerous |
| Ealing | 28,578 | 83.61 | 22% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Bromley
View crime percentage over time forBromley Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 17 | 15 | 18 | 33 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 0.68 | 0.91 | 0.66 | 0.54 | Safer |
| Burglary | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 3.6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.87 | 0.82 | 0.83 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.57 | 0.57 | 0.45 | 0.52 | Safer |
| Public Order | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.88 | 0.97 | 1.4 | 0.94 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | Getting worse |
Changes In Bromley's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Bromley's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Bromley that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Recreation Ground | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0.99 |
| Bromley Common Cricket Club | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0.56 |
| Cator Park | - | - | - | - | 7 | 0 | 0.78 |
| Chislehurst Common | 7 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 0.32 |
| Chislehurst Recreation Ground | 5 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 2.1 |
| Coney Hall Recreation Ground | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Croydon Road Recreation Ground | 13 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 7 | 2.7 |
| Crystal Palace Park | 7 | 3 | 2 | - | 3 | 15 | 0.51 |
| Farnborough Recreation Ground | - | - | - | 3 | - | 2 | 1.0 |
| Fox Hill Playing Field | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 6 |
| Goddington Park | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 | 0.45 |
| Harvington Sports Ground | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 0.66 |
| Hoblingwell Wood | 4 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.46 |
| Hollydale Recreation Grounds | 8 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 3.0 |
| Jubilee Country Park | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 0.15 |
| Kelsey Park | 7 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.60 |
| Kent County Cricket Ground | 6 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.82 |
| McAndrew Playing Field | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.71 |
| Norman Park | 3 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 0.22 |
| Parkfield Recreation Ground | - | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.59 |
| Petts Wood Recreation Ground | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0.58 |
| South Hill Wood | 18 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4.6 |
| Southborough Open Space | - | - | 2 | - | - | 4 | 2.5 |
| Whitehall Recreation Ground | 6 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 1.3 |
| Willett Recreation Ground | 6 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 3.2 |
Comparing Bromley to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley | 65.25 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 3.6% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 16% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 22% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 24% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 24% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 33% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 37% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 39% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 51% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 52% more dangerous |
Crime in Bromley's Neighbourhoods
Bromley South is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Bromley, followed by Bromley North & Sundridge in second place, and St Mary Cray East as the third most dangerous area. Bromley's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Crofton, Hayes North, and Langley Park.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anerley North & Penge West | 1,020 | 95 | Fourth |
| Anerley South | 494 | 66 | 16th |
| Beckenham East & Kelsey Park | 329 | 38 | 34th |
| Bickley East | 289 | 43 | 31st |
| Bickley West | 524 | 54 | 20th |
| Biggin Hill East & Cudham | 375 | 58 | 19th |
| Biggin Hill West | 300 | 43 | 30th |
| Bromley Common | 501 | 63 | 18th |
| Bromley North & Sundridge | 1,509 | 125 | Second |
| Bromley South | 1,750 | 175 | First |
| Chelsfield & Green Street Green | 340 | 44 | 28th |
| Chislehurst East & Hoblingwell Wood | 384 | 66 | 15th |
| Chislehurst North | 365 | 47 | 25th |
| Chislehurst West & Elmstead | 430 | 40 | 33rd |
| Clock House & Cator Park | 387 | 48 | 24th |
| Crofton | 203 | 25 | 38th |
| Crystal Palace Park | 891 | 83 | Eighth |
| Eden Park & Bethlem | 679 | 78 | 11th |
| Elmers End | 511 | 63 | 17th |
| Farnborough | 381 | 54 | 21st |
| Goddington | 416 | 53 | 22nd |
| Hayes North | 218 | 28 | 37th |
| Hayes South & Coney Hall | 405 | 50 | 23rd |
| Keston | 466 | 67 | 13th |
| Langley Park | 187 | 23 | 39th |
| Mottingham | 880 | 94 | Fifth |
| New Beckenham | 802 | 78 | Tenth |
| Orpington East | 300 | 43 | 29th |
| Orpington South | 258 | 29 | 36th |
| Orpington West | 787 | 92 | Seventh |
| Penge East | 702 | 80 | Ninth |
| Petts Wood | 281 | 37 | 35th |
| Plaistow (Bromley) | 536 | 67 | 14th |
| Shortlands Bromley Road | 347 | 41 | 32nd |
| St Mary Cray East | 1,017 | 111 | Third |
| St Mary Cray North | 820 | 93 | Sixth |
| St Mary Cray South | 635 | 78 | 12th |
| West Wickham | 554 | 45 | 26th |
| Widmore | 393 | 44 | 27th |
Bromley Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Bromley for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Petts Wood (103) | Crystal Palace Park (731) |
| Bicycle Theft | Widmore (1) | Bromley South (29) |
| Burglary | Hayes North (16) | Orpington West (80) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Hayes North (7) | St Mary Cray East (111) |
| Drugs | Orpington South (2) | Bromley South (215) |
| Other Crime | Shortlands Bromley Road (1) | Mottingham (24) |
| Other Theft | Crofton (10) | Bromley South (197) |
| Possession of Weapons | Hayes North (1) | Bromley South (24) |
| Public Order | Crofton (6) | Bromley South (161) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Petts Wood (1) | Bromley South (52) |
| Shoplifting | Crofton (1) | Bromley South (336) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Orpington South (1) | Bromley South (80) |
| Vehicle Crime | Chislehurst North (38) | St Mary Cray East (190) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Langley Park (43) | Anerley North & Penge West (414) |
Crime in Bromley During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Bromley change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Bromley saw a 284% increase in anti-social behaviour. Bromley saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 83% compared to April in 2019. Bromley saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including criminal damage and arson, other theft, and vehicle crime.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +21% | +284% | +256% | +84% | +30% | +57% | +50% | +48% | +84% | +111% |
| Bicycle Theft | -61% | -55% | -35% | -6% | - | - | +86% | -6% | +10% | -54% |
| Burglary | -34% | -32% | -56% | -49% | -45% | -39% | -46% | -45% | -44% | -47% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -19% | -15% | -10% | -16% | - | -13% | -19% | -3% | -26% | -7% |
| Drugs | +2% | +57% | +162% | +3% | +11% | -38% | +5% | -19% | +15% | +21% |
| Other Crime | +18% | +4% | -19% | +4% | +26% | +25% | +38% | -12% | +45% | +63% |
| Other Theft | -18% | -58% | -44% | -25% | -26% | -32% | +2% | -23% | -30% | -13% |
| Possession of Weapons | -25% | +23% | +60% | -18% | -23% | +25% | +200% | +60% | +47% | -25% |
| Public Order | -27% | -13% | +2% | +12% | -11% | +40% | +9% | +4% | +18% | -4% |
| Robbery | +32% | -15% | -30% | -20% | +21% | +36% | +21% | -5% | -28% | - |
| Shoplifting | -18% | -48% | -66% | -54% | -17% | -21% | +7% | +25% | -5% | -21% |
| Theft From the Person | +33% | -83% | -82% | -56% | -21% | +63% | -14% | +47% | -46% | -32% |
| Vehicle Crime | -15% | -34% | -26% | -10% | +7% | -24% | -3% | -4% | -11% | -21% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -13% | -17% | -8% | +7% | -4% | +3% | +7% | +9% | -4% | -15% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Bromley
What police force serves Bromley?
Bromley's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Bromley?
Bromley is among the top 10 safest cities in London.What is Bromley's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Bromley are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Bromley?
Bromley's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 07 May 2021