Camden Crime Overview
Camden is the second most dangerous city in London, and is the third most dangerous overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Camden in 2020 was 114 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 23% higher than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Camden is among the top 5 most dangerous cities, and the 322nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In March 2020, Camden had the worst crime rate in London for bicycle theft, with 118 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.44 per 1,000 inhabitants. May 2020 was also a bad month for Camden residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for theft from the person, recording 71 crimes at a rate of 0.26 per 1,000 residents. Camden recorded 78 reports of possession of weapons during December 2018, making its crime rate of 0.29 the worst for possession of weapons in London that month.
The most common crimes in Camden are violence and sexual offences, with 6,896 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 26. This is 8% lower than 2019's figure of 7,451 offences and a difference of 2.05 from 2019's crime rate of 28. Camden's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 181 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 32% from 2019's figure of 239 crimes.
Compare Camden to other towns and cities
See how Camden shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Camden and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Camden Crime Map
Crime in Camden Compared To London
Summary of Crimes in Camden This Year
| Camden | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 14,264 | 52.82 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 12% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,579 | 5.85 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 54% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,251 | 8.34 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 18% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,544 | 5.72 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 1.0% safer |
| Drugs | 2,119 | 7.85 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 25% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 278 | 1.03 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 12% safer |
| Other Theft | 4,789 | 17.74 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 47% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 181 | 0.67 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 0% safer |
| Public Order | 2,256 | 8.35 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 25% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 1,222 | 4.53 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 32% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 1,386 | 5.13 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 22% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 3,367 | 12.47 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 69% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 2,985 | 11.05 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 9% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 6,896 | 25.54 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 0.59% safer |
Camden Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwark | 31,822 | 99.81 | 14% safer |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 18,574 | 100.32 | 14% safer |
| Haringey | 28,144 | 104.76 | 9% safer |
| Islington | 25,583 | 105.51 | 8% safer |
| Hackney | 29,840 | 106.15 | 8% safer |
| Camden | 30,853 | 114.26 | - |
| Westminster | 48,182 | 184.38 | 38% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Camden
View crime percentage over time forCamden Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 36 | 35 | 38 | 53 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 11 | 13 | 12 | 8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.4 | 4.6 | 7 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.86 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 22 | 28 | 36 | 18 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.74 | 2.1 | 0.89 | 0.67 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4.5 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 27 | 19 | 22 | 12 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 26 | 30 | 28 | 26 | Safer |
Changes In Camden's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Camden's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Camden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomsbury Square Gardens | - | 4 | 1 | - | 1 | 35 | 53 |
| Hampstead Cricket Club | 7 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 4.5 |
| The Danish Church | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 9 |
Comparing Camden to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Camden's Neighbourhoods
Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Camden, followed by Fitzrovia East & Bloomsbury West in second place, and Camden Town & Mornington Crescent as the third most dangerous area. Camden's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Belsize Park, Frognal, and South Hampstead.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Road | 467 | 61 | 23rd |
| Belsize Park | 383 | 48 | 26th |
| Bloomsbury East | 892 | 99 | Tenth |
| Camden Road South | 883 | 87 | 13th |
| Camden Street & Elm Village | 1,352 | 125 | Seventh |
| Camden Town & Mornington Crescent | 2,318 | 273 | Third |
| Chalk Farm | 792 | 76 | 17th |
| Euston | 1,230 | 136 | Sixth |
| Fitzjohns & Royal Free | 754 | 74 | 19th |
| Fitzrovia East & Bloomsbury West | 2,718 | 306 | Second |
| Fortune Green | 597 | 60 | 24th |
| Frognal | 360 | 37 | 28th |
| Gray's Inn Road | 1,132 | 157 | Fifth |
| Hampstead Town | 657 | 68 | 20th |
| Hatton Garden & Theobalds Road | 931 | 103 | Ninth |
| Highgate West | 798 | 86 | 15th |
| Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South | 4,391 | 503 | First |
| Kentish Town East | 552 | 53 | 25th |
| Kentish Town West | 985 | 79 | 16th |
| Kilburn East | 989 | 97 | 11th |
| Kilburn Grange | 711 | 67 | 22nd |
| Mansfield Road & Park Hill Road | 720 | 76 | 18th |
| Primrose Hill | 953 | 107 | Eighth |
| Somers Town | 2,316 | 200 | Fourth |
| South Hampstead | 413 | 44 | 27th |
| Swiss Cottage | 615 | 68 | 21st |
| Tufnell Park West | 857 | 88 | 12th |
| West Hampstead | 1,011 | 86 | 14th |
Camden Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Camden for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Frognal (172) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (1,504) |
| Bicycle Theft | Frognal (8) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (203) |
| Burglary | Kilburn Grange (54) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (242) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Belsize Park (22) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (135) |
| Drugs | Belsize Park (2) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (349) |
| Other Crime | South Hampstead (3) | Somers Town (54) |
| Other Theft | Frognal (19) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (927) |
| Possession of Weapons | Frognal (1) | Somers Town (39) |
| Public Order | Frognal (13) | Camden Town & Mornington Crescent (220) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | South Hampstead (8) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (198) |
| Shoplifting | South Hampstead (1) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (196) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Fortune Green (7) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (1,110) |
| Vehicle Crime | Euston (44) | Holborn, St Giles & Bloomsbury South (317) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Frognal (80) | Camden Town & Mornington Crescent (551) |
Crime in Camden During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Camden change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Camden saw a 106% increase in anti-social behaviour. Camden saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 89% compared to April in 2019. Possession of Weapons saw a fall in every month of Camden's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +6% | +92% | +106% | +41% | +23% | +31% | +35% | +27% | +44% | +42% |
| Bicycle Theft | -2% | -36% | +19% | +48% | +45% | +60% | +12% | +23% | +64% | +43% |
| Burglary | -17% | -46% | -55% | -41% | -32% | -38% | -36% | -16% | -16% | -43% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -29% | -4% | -27% | +9% | +5% | -2% | +17% | +10% | +26% | -26% |
| Drugs | -12% | +13% | +94% | +21% | +47% | +18% | -35% | -8% | -28% | -37% |
| Other Crime | -46% | -27% | -19% | +71% | -27% | +4% | -15% | +17% | -4% | -14% |
| Other Theft | -41% | -83% | -83% | -79% | -57% | -38% | -38% | -54% | -70% | -64% |
| Possession of Weapons | -35% | -72% | -10% | -9% | - | -52% | -27% | -57% | -21% | -16% |
| Public Order | -15% | -24% | -31% | -4% | -6% | +17% | +4% | -16% | -7% | -18% |
| Robbery | -7% | -65% | -65% | -50% | -40% | -28% | -26% | -57% | -44% | -47% |
| Shoplifting | -39% | -64% | -68% | -64% | -20% | -23% | -11% | -23% | -41% | -38% |
| Theft From the Person | -25% | -89% | -82% | -76% | -62% | -45% | -33% | -48% | -55% | -56% |
| Vehicle Crime | -23% | -12% | +1% | -10% | +2% | +13% | +17% | +7% | -31% | -43% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -4% | -30% | -19% | -3% | -11% | -3% | -3% | -4% | -2% | -22% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Camden
What police force serves Camden?
Camden's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Camden?
Camden is the second most dangerous city in London.What is Camden's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Camden are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Camden?
Camden's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 07 May 2021