Greenwich Crime Overview
Greenwich is among the top 20 most dangerous cities in London, and is among the top 20 most dangerous overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Greenwich in 2020 was 86 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to London's overall crime rate, coming in 1.9% lower than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Greenwich is the 27th safest city, and the 815th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In April 2020, Greenwich had the worst crime rate in London for other crime, with 37 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.13 per 1,000 inhabitants. September 2019 was also a bad month for Greenwich residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for criminal damage and arson, recording 188 crimes at a rate of 0.65 per 1,000 residents.
The most common crimes in Greenwich are violence and sexual offences, with 8,457 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 29. This is 0.24% higher than 2019's figure of 8,437 offences and a difference of 0.07 from 2019's crime rate of 29. Greenwich's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 223 offences recorded in 2020, an increase of 2.2% from 2019's figure of 218 crimes.
Compare Greenwich to other towns and cities
See how Greenwich shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Greenwich and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Greenwich Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Greenwich This Year
| Greenwich | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 11,619 | 40.35 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 15% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 454 | 1.58 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 72% safer |
| Burglary | 1,652 | 5.74 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 19% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,984 | 6.89 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 16% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 1,870 | 6.49 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 9% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 405 | 1.41 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 18% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 2,168 | 7.53 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 25% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 223 | 0.77 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 13% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,935 | 6.72 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 6% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 764 | 2.65 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 16% safer |
| Shoplifting | 1,301 | 4.52 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 12% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 353 | 1.23 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 219% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,155 | 10.96 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 10% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 8,457 | 29.37 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 13% more dangerous |
Crime in Greenwich Compared To London
Greenwich Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ealing | 28,578 | 83.61 | 2.7% safer |
| Waltham Forest | 23,281 | 84.05 | 2.1% safer |
| Hillingdon | 25,813 | 84.12 | 2.1% safer |
| Enfield | 28,260 | 84.66 | 1.4% safer |
| Brent | 27,932 | 84.70 | 1.4% safer |
| Greenwich | 24,721 | 85.85 | - |
| Hounslow | 23,385 | 86.13 | 0.33% more dangerous |
| Barking and Dagenham | 18,441 | 86.62 | 0.89% more dangerous |
| Lewisham | 26,978 | 88.21 | 2.7% more dangerous |
| Lambeth | 30,395 | 93.23 | 8% more dangerous |
| Newham | 33,029 | 93.53 | 8% more dangerous |
Greenwich Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 21 | 20 | 23 | 40 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.0 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.69 | 0.64 | 0.76 | 0.77 | Getting worse |
| Public Order | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 2.2 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.6 | Getting worse |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4.5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 11 | 12 | 15 | 11 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | Getting worse |
Changes In Greenwich's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Greenwich to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 27% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 11% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 3.2% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 0.05% safer |
| Greenwich | 85.85 | - |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 0.42% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 12% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 17% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 20% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 35% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 37% more dangerous |
Crime in Greenwich's Neighbourhoods
Greenwich Peninsula is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Greenwich, followed by Woolwich Dockyard, Arsenal & Charlton Riverside in second place, and Eltham South as the third most dangerous area. Greenwich's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Charlton Slopes, Eltham North, and New Eltham.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Wood North | 1,026 | 106 | Seventh |
| Abbey Wood South | 517 | 71 | 20th |
| Avery Hill | 370 | 60 | 27th |
| Blackheath Standard & Village | 498 | 77 | 17th |
| Charlton Slopes | 362 | 49 | 32nd |
| Charlton Village | 674 | 85 | 11th |
| Eltham North | 193 | 28 | 33rd |
| Eltham Park | 533 | 85 | 12th |
| Eltham South | 837 | 126 | Third |
| Eltham West | 559 | 68 | 23rd |
| Greenwich & Deptford Creekside | 998 | 82 | 13th |
| Greenwich East | 1,063 | 116 | Fifth |
| Greenwich Peninsula | 2,018 | 155 | First |
| Greenwich Town & Park | 1,198 | 122 | Fourth |
| Hornfair Park | 667 | 80 | 15th |
| Kidbrooke North | 401 | 61 | 26th |
| Kidbrooke South | 728 | 70 | 22nd |
| Middlepark & Horn Park | 654 | 80 | 16th |
| Mottingham East | 553 | 80 | 14th |
| New Eltham | 349 | 53 | 31st |
| Plumstead Common & Riverside | 732 | 63 | 24th |
| Plumstead High Street | 1,040 | 99 | Eighth |
| Plumstead South | 378 | 59 | 28th |
| Shooters Hill | 437 | 57 | 29th |
| Thamesmead Birchmere Park | 455 | 61 | 25th |
| West Thamesmead | 1,130 | 70 | 21st |
| Westcombe Park & Maze Hill | 370 | 54 | 30th |
| Wickham Lane & Winns Common | 555 | 74 | 19th |
| Woolwich Common | 670 | 94 | Ninth |
| Woolwich Dockyard, Arsenal & Charlton Riverside | 2,265 | 150 | Second |
| Woolwich Glyndon | 580 | 75 | 18th |
| Woolwich South | 1,207 | 107 | Sixth |
| Woolwich West | 709 | 87 | Tenth |
Greenwich Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Greenwich for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Eltham North (124) | Woolwich Dockyard, Arsenal & Charlton Riverside (1,164) |
| Bicycle Theft | Eltham North (1) | Greenwich Town & Park (71) |
| Burglary | Eltham North (16) | Greenwich East (107) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | New Eltham (20) | Mottingham East (82) |
| Drugs | Charlton Slopes (9) | Woolwich Dockyard, Arsenal & Charlton Riverside (300) |
| Other Crime | Plumstead South (3) | West Thamesmead (43) |
| Other Theft | Eltham North (12) | Greenwich Peninsula (222) |
| Possession of Weapons | Charlton Slopes (1) | Woolwich South (22) |
| Public Order | Eltham North (2) | Woolwich Dockyard, Arsenal & Charlton Riverside (228) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Shooters Hill (5) | Greenwich Town & Park (76) |
| Shoplifting | Plumstead Common & Riverside (1) | Eltham South (119) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Eltham West (1) | Greenwich Peninsula (62) |
| Vehicle Crime | Avery Hill (31) | Greenwich Peninsula (243) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Eltham North (59) | Woolwich Dockyard, Arsenal & Charlton Riverside (679) |
Crime in Greenwich During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Greenwich change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Greenwich saw a 293% increase in anti-social behaviour. Greenwich saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 90% compared to April in 2019. Greenwich saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including other theft, robbery, and theft from the person.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +4% | +293% | +191% | +93% | +34% | +70% | +55% | +40% | +113% | +56% |
| Bicycle Theft | -44% | -52% | -30% | +24% | +100% | +225% | +94% | +108% | +58% | +171% |
| Burglary | -55% | -63% | -53% | -42% | -20% | -18% | -10% | -12% | -27% | -16% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +7% | -28% | -24% | -12% | +1% | +36% | -22% | -22% | +5% | -2% |
| Drugs | +3% | +187% | +264% | +72% | +26% | -4% | +7% | +12% | +54% | +48% |
| Other Crime | -25% | +28% | +18% | +36% | +3% | -3% | +27% | -7% | -24% | -42% |
| Other Theft | -20% | -41% | -30% | -38% | -27% | -19% | - | -10% | -23% | -15% |
| Possession of Weapons | -23% | -56% | +29% | -15% | +6% | -18% | -21% | +41% | +18% | -11% |
| Public Order | -16% | +3% | -5% | +13% | +34% | +24% | +18% | +33% | +8% | -8% |
| Robbery | -8% | -34% | -58% | -7% | -16% | +30% | -16% | -44% | -1% | -47% |
| Shoplifting | -28% | -51% | -67% | -21% | -18% | -45% | -15% | -14% | -34% | -7% |
| Theft From the Person | - | -90% | -78% | -51% | -56% | -29% | -11% | -59% | -64% | -29% |
| Vehicle Crime | -16% | -51% | -33% | -45% | -20% | -40% | -15% | -28% | -26% | -24% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -2% | -18% | +7% | -1% | -2% | +13% | -10% | +1% | +4% | -17% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Greenwich
What police force serves Greenwich?
Greenwich's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Greenwich?
Greenwich is among the top 20 most dangerous cities in London.What is Greenwich's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Greenwich are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Greenwich?
Greenwich's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021