Hackney Crime Overview
Hackney is the third most dangerous city in London, and is among the top 5 most dangerous overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Hackney in 2020 was 106 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 18% higher than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Hackney is among the top 10 most dangerous cities, and the 413rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2020, Hackney had the worst crime rate in London for bicycle theft, with 306 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. May 2020 was also a bad month for Hackney residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for public order, recording 193 crimes at a rate of 0.69 per 1,000 residents. Hackney recorded 149 reports of robbery during November 2020, making its crime rate of 0.53 the worst for robbery in London that month.
The most common crimes in Hackney are violence and sexual offences, with 8,223 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 29. This is 1.8% higher than 2019's figure of 8,076 offences and a difference of 0.52 from 2019's crime rate of 29. Hackney's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 266 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 4.1% from 2019's figure of 277 crimes.
Compare Hackney to other towns and cities
See how Hackney shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Hackney and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Hackney Crime Map
Crime in Hackney Compared To London
Summary of Crimes in Hackney This Year
| Hackney | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 17,358 | 61.75 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 25% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 2,309 | 8.21 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 67% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,551 | 9.07 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 25% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,749 | 6.22 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 7% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 1,492 | 5.31 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 11% safer |
| Other Crime | 287 | 1.02 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 13% safer |
| Other Theft | 3,016 | 10.73 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 12% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 266 | 0.95 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 29% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 2,178 | 7.75 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 19% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 1,577 | 5.61 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 45% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 745 | 2.65 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 50% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2,325 | 8.27 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 53% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,122 | 11.11 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 8% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 8,223 | 29.25 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 12% more dangerous |
Hackney Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tower Hamlets | 30,740 | 94.66 | 12% safer |
| Southwark | 31,822 | 99.81 | 6% safer |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 18,574 | 100.32 | 6% safer |
| Haringey | 28,144 | 104.76 | 1.3% safer |
| Islington | 25,583 | 105.51 | 0.61% safer |
| Hackney | 29,840 | 106.15 | - |
| Camden | 30,853 | 114.26 | 7% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 48,182 | 184.38 | 42% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Hackney
View crime percentage over time forHackney Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 30 | 28 | 31 | 62 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 10 | 11 | 12 | 9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 3.9 | 4.8 | 6 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.89 | 0.95 | 0.96 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 13 | 15 | 16 | 11 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.0 | 0.95 | 0.99 | 0.95 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 12 | 8 | 11 | 8 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | Getting worse |
Changes In Hackney's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Hackney's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Hackney 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clapton Common | 11 | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 12 |
| Hackney Downs | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 1.4 |
| Hackney Marsh | 44 | - | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 1.2 |
| Haggerston Park | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1.4 |
| Mabley Green | 10 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.89 |
| North Millfields Recreation Ground | 8 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.82 |
| Shoreditch Park | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0.13 |
| South Millfields Recreation Ground | 2 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.47 |
| St Thomas's Recreation Ground | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 98 |
| Well Street Common | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 | 0.69 |
| West Hackney Recreation Ground | - | 1 | - | 2 | - | 2 | 9 |
Comparing Hackney to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Hackney's Neighbourhoods
Shoreditch is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Hackney, followed by Hackney Central in second place, and Dalston Kingsland & De Beauvoir as the third most dangerous area. Hackney's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Stamford Hill South, Stamford Hill West, and Stoke Newington East & Cazenove.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amhurst Road & Pembury Estate | 928 | 76 | 22nd |
| Brownswood | 829 | 84 | 18th |
| Clapton Leaside | 657 | 70 | 25th |
| Clissold North | 632 | 87 | 15th |
| Clissold South | 582 | 79 | 20th |
| Dalston East | 1,507 | 144 | Fifth |
| Dalston Kingsland & De Beauvoir | 2,611 | 169 | Third |
| Hackney Central | 1,782 | 195 | Second |
| Hackney Downs | 1,044 | 98 | Eighth |
| Hackney Marshes | 572 | 87 | 16th |
| Hackney Wick | 1,043 | 139 | Sixth |
| Haggerston East | 779 | 73 | 24th |
| Haggerston West & Kingsland Basin | 1,320 | 90 | 12th |
| Homerton North | 506 | 76 | 23rd |
| Homerton South | 1,472 | 124 | Seventh |
| Hoxton & Wenlock | 831 | 83 | 19th |
| London Fields & Mare Street | 1,779 | 152 | Fourth |
| Lower Clapton | 827 | 89 | 14th |
| Shoreditch | 3,667 | 223 | First |
| South Hackney | 844 | 91 | Tenth |
| Stamford Hill North | 742 | 77 | 21st |
| Stamford Hill South | 596 | 66 | 26th |
| Stamford Hill West | 468 | 53 | 27th |
| Stoke Newington East & Cazenove | 504 | 50 | 28th |
| Stoke Newington North | 733 | 90 | 13th |
| Stoke Newington South | 1,127 | 95 | Ninth |
| Upper Clapton | 746 | 86 | 17th |
| Woodberry Down & Manor House | 737 | 90 | 11th |
Hackney Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Hackney for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Stoke Newington East & Cazenove (387) | Hackney Central (970) |
| Bicycle Theft | Woodberry Down & Manor House (19) | London Fields & Mare Street (295) |
| Burglary | Stamford Hill South (37) | Shoreditch (282) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Hoxton & Wenlock (35) | Hackney Central (100) |
| Drugs | Stoke Newington East & Cazenove (18) | Shoreditch (195) |
| Other Crime | Clissold North (1) | Woodberry Down & Manor House (15) |
| Other Theft | Stamford Hill West (37) | Shoreditch (621) |
| Possession of Weapons | Stamford Hill South (1) | Hackney Central (23) |
| Public Order | Stoke Newington East & Cazenove (35) | Hackney Central (186) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Stamford Hill West (16) | Shoreditch (262) |
| Shoplifting | Haggerston East (1) | Hackney Central (141) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Hackney Marshes (8) | Shoreditch (699) |
| Vehicle Crime | Stoke Newington East & Cazenove (57) | Dalston Kingsland & De Beauvoir (365) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Stoke Newington East & Cazenove (152) | Hackney Wick (411) |
Crime in Hackney During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Hackney change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Hackney saw a 319% increase in anti-social behaviour. Hackney saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 80% compared to May in 2019. Hackney saw consistent falls in the crime rate of several types of crime during every month of its Coronavirus lockdown, including other theft, robbery, and shoplifting.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +34% | +319% | +243% | +103% | +44% | +64% | +77% | +78% | +99% | +90% |
| Bicycle Theft | -41% | -36% | +7% | +78% | +48% | +97% | +174% | +90% | +79% | +36% |
| Burglary | -37% | -52% | -19% | -33% | -20% | +13% | +2% | -12% | +0% | -4% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -24% | +12% | -12% | +11% | +6% | +29% | +7% | +16% | +30% | +7% |
| Drugs | -45% | -21% | +67% | -6% | -28% | -26% | -12% | +22% | +3% | -33% |
| Other Crime | -13% | +26% | - | -17% | - | -23% | +47% | +8% | - | +28% |
| Other Theft | -38% | -66% | -60% | -41% | -29% | -19% | +4% | -16% | -48% | -41% |
| Possession of Weapons | -41% | -44% | - | +20% | -13% | +29% | +4% | +59% | +33% | +6% |
| Public Order | - | -15% | +14% | +60% | +18% | +25% | +43% | +17% | -7% | +7% |
| Robbery | +8% | -70% | -53% | -58% | -41% | -4% | -1% | -10% | -15% | -8% |
| Shoplifting | -18% | -55% | -35% | -39% | -6% | +17% | -7% | -24% | -24% | -34% |
| Theft From the Person | +5% | -77% | -80% | -72% | -49% | -12% | -3% | -31% | -7% | +8% |
| Vehicle Crime | -25% | -40% | -48% | -20% | +9% | +3% | +25% | +15% | +19% | -3% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -11% | -18% | -8% | +9% | 0% | +13% | +18% | +5% | +6% | +1% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Hackney
What police force serves Hackney?
Hackney's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Hackney?
Hackney is the third most dangerous city in London.What is Hackney's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Hackney are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Hackney?
Hackney's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 07 May 2021