Crime and Safety in Lewisham
Last updated: 07 Jun 2026
Lewisham is among the top 10 most dangerous boroughs in London. The overall crime rate in Lewisham in 2026 is 93 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 13% higher than the London rate of 82 per 1,000 daytime population. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Lewisham is among the top 20 most dangerous cities, and the 539th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In January 2026, Lewisham had the worst crime rate in London for criminal damage and arson, with 193 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.61 per 1,000 daytime population. January 2026 was also a bad month for Lewisham residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for violence and sexual offences, recording 865 crimes at a rate of 2.8 per 1,000 daytime population.
The most common crimes in Lewisham are violence and sexual offences, with 10,720 offences during 2026, giving a crime rate of 34. This is 3.1% higher than 2025's figure of 10,396 offences and a difference of 1.00 from 2025's crime rate of 33. Lewisham's least common crime is bicycle theft, with 316 offences recorded in 2026, a decrease of 3.4% from 2025's figure of 327 crimes.
Lewisham 2026 Crime Scorecard
Top 10 Most Dangerous
Boroughs, London
16% higher, regional crime rate
London
29% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
Local Crime in Context
As of April 2026, the crime rate in Lewisham is 16% higher than London and 29% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Lewisham Crime Rate Over Time
| Lewisham | |
| London | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Lewisham Crime Map
Incidents mapped in Lewisham represent the time frame between January 2016 and April 2026. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Use Crime Map
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualise the data you need.
See How Lewisham Compares
You can compare Lewisham's crime statistics against any other town, village, or city from across the country. Search for a location's name below to see how they stack up.
Introduction to Lewisham's crime statistics
This crime profile provides a detailed view of crime and safety around Lewisham up to April 2026, the most recent data release available. The crime figures and statistics have been calculated across each of Lewisham's 5,000 postcodes using three area sizes for comparison:
- Within a Five-Minute Walk
- Within a Ten-Minute Walk
- Within a Fifteen-Minute Walk
Individual crime risk scores and index figures are for the 12-month period ending April 2026 unless otherwise stated.
CrimeRate Insights
Looking into a specific address in Lewisham? CrimeRate Insights reports convert raw numbers into practical insight for any location, from single addresses and postcodes, up to major towns and cities.
Crime rates don’t happen by themselves; they follow people and patterns. Where crowds gather - near pubs and late-night venues, around the station, by supermarkets and forecourts - incidents naturally concentrate.
That doesn’t mean an area is "bad"; it usually means footfall is higher.
Your report explores these factors in a calm, non-judgemental way, putting the numbers in context and helping you spot what’s typical for places like this.
Crime Risk Scores
Lewisham • 12 Months Ending April 2026
The typical five-minute walk within Lewisham has a crime risk score of 624. This is based on analysis of 5,000 nearby areas within Lewisham, with "most" referring to roughly two thirds of the nearby locations.
Crime risk scores are on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and consider the severity of the crimes involved, as determined by sentencing guidelines. A score of 1 represents the lowest risk, and 1,000 the highest risk. This approach ensures that - unlike overall crime rate figures - bicycle theft is not given the same importance in Lewisham's risk scores as, for example, robbery, or violence & sexual offences.
Within a five-minute walk of the typical location in Lewisham, crime risk scores are typically around 624, while in London they are average 534.
Areas within a ten-minute walk typically see crime risk scores of 697 (613 for London), and scores within a fifteen-minute walk are most often around 752 (London 663).
Trends in Crime Risk
Lewisham
Calculated via Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess, the Seasonality Adjusted line represents the original data with seasonality subtracted, and the Trend line has been plotted unadjusted. Overall trend direction has been identified using the Mann-Kendall trend test, and rate calculated from the slope of the best-fit line identified from linear regression.
The 10-year trend indicates a decrease of 15% in Lewisham's crime risk score. This is potentially a strong signal of how the crime risk is evolving. Cross-referencing with major cultural events and Covid's impact during this time is advised.
Looking at the previous five years, the trend in Lewisham's crime risk score is up by 11%. While potentially a good indicator of the overall risk trend, analysis may offer further insight when combined with the checks mentioned above.
Over the last year, Lewisham's crime risk score has shown an upward trend of approximately 0.57%, indicating that the risk profile is going up. This is an extremely short time period for crime trend analysis, and caution should be exercised when interpreting this figure.
Crime Rates and Indexes
Lewisham
The CrimeRate Index shows how crime rates compare against the national average.
1.0 equals the average
2.0 is double
3.0 triple
0.5 is half and
0.25 a quarter.
Highest Crime Rates
Lewisham • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Excluding other crime and other theft because their geographic location is often not relevant, anti-social behaviour as its definition is too wide, and bicycle theft for its specificity.
Robbery offences have a crime rate of 3.23 reports per 1,000 people in Lewisham, which is 2.74 times the national average. This figure is calculated from 1,011 crime reports logged by Metropolitan Police during the 12-month period ending April 2026.
For the same period, Metropolitan Police recorded 1,248 reports of Theft From the Person in Lewisham, resulting in a crime rate of 3.98 reports per 1,000, and a CrimeRate Index of 2.57.
The crime rate for Vehicle Crime is 1.85 times the national average at 7.97 reports per 1,000. This is from 2,502 crime reports reported to Metropolitan Police.
Most Significant 3-Year Increases in Crime Types
Lewisham
Excluding other crime and other theft, anti-social behaviour, and bicycle theft, and calculated with the same STL method described in Trends in Crime Risk, using CrimeRate Index figures to identify crime types that are trending above or below the national average, and the analysis timeframe limited to the last three years.
Public Order offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.33 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Public Order CrimeRate Index was 0.84 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 58% over this timeframe.
Violence and Sexual Offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.13 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Violence and Sexual Offences CrimeRate Index was 0.99 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 14% over this timeframe.
Possession of Weapons offences are trending upwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.57 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Possession of Weapons CrimeRate Index was 0.71 times the national average, and the current trend indicates an increase of 121% over this timeframe.
Most Significant 3-Year Decreases in Crime Types
Lewisham
Calculated with the same methodology as the largest increases section above.
Burglary offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 1.63 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Burglary CrimeRate Index was 2.07 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 21% over this timeframe.
Vehicle Crime offences are trending downwards, and have a CrimeRate Index of 2.06 for the month of April 2026.
Three years ago, the monthly Vehicle Crime CrimeRate Index was 2.09 times the national average, and the current trend indicates a decrease of 1.4% over this timeframe.
Crime Type Breakdown & Heat Map
Lewisham • 12 Months Ending April 2026
Size and colour reflect the CrimeRate Index figures for each type of crime.
Lewisham | London | Metropolitan Police | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Type | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 7,237 | 23.04 | 1.63 | 235,985 | 21.68 | 1.53 | 236,187 | 21.58 | 1.53 |
| Bicycle Theft | 316 | 1.00 | 1.37 | 13,695 | 1.26 | 1.73 | 13,744 | 1.26 | 1.73 |
| Burglary | 1,475 | 4.69 | 1.50 | 47,359 | 4.34 | 1.39 | 47,451 | 4.33 | 1.38 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,021 | 6.44 | 1.03 | 54,098 | 4.99 | 0.79 | 54,220 | 4.97 | 0.79 |
| Drugs | 1,719 | 5.47 | 1.77 | 53,167 | 4.87 | 1.58 | 53,280 | 4.85 | 1.57 |
| Other Crime | 442 | 1.41 | 0.76 | 13,008 | 1.19 | 0.64 | 13,028 | 1.19 | 0.64 |
| Other Theft | 2,473 | 7.87 | 1.38 | 97,452 | 8.97 | 1.58 | 97,779 | 8.95 | 1.57 |
| Possession of Weapons | 327 | 1.07 | 1.26 | 6,443 | 0.60 | 0.71 | 6,461 | 0.60 | 0.71 |
| Public Order | 2,222 | 7.08 | 1.22 | 60,049 | 5.52 | 0.95 | 60,156 | 5.49 | 0.95 |
| Robbery | 1,011 | 3.23 | 2.74 | 30,804 | 2.83 | 2.40 | 30,857 | 2.83 | 2.40 |
| Shoplifting | 2,614 | 8.33 | 1.17 | 87,976 | 8.09 | 1.13 | 88,269 | 8.08 | 1.13 |
| Theft From the Person | 1,248 | 3.98 | 2.57 | 77,160 | 7.11 | 4.59 | 77,344 | 7.08 | 4.57 |
| Vehicle Crime | 2,502 | 7.97 | 1.85 | 81,755 | 7.50 | 1.74 | 81,900 | 7.50 | 1.74 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 10,720 | 34.15 | 1.12 | 273,434 | 25.12 | 0.83 | 273,897 | 25.04 | 0.82 |
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Total Crime by Year
Lewisham | London | Metropolitan Police | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index | Count | Rate | Index |
| 2026 | 29,090 | 92.69 | 1.29 | 896,400 | 82.39 | 1.14 | 898,386 | 82.17 | 1.14 |
| 2025 | 29,168 | 93.87 | 1.27 | 896,961 | 83.23 | 1.12 | 898,787 | 82.94 | 1.12 |
| 2024 | 29,489 | 95.41 | 1.26 | 900,986 | 84.38 | 1.12 | 902,681 | 84.12 | 1.12 |
| 2023 | 27,475 | 89.26 | 1.13 | 835,471 | 78.98 | 1.00 | 837,244 | 78.79 | 1.00 |
| 2022 | 26,674 | 86.58 | 1.13 | 795,646 | 75.77 | 0.99 | 797,303 | 75.56 | 0.98 |
| 2021 | 26,336 | 84.55 | 1.23 | 727,983 | 69.09 | 1.01 | 729,401 | 68.83 | 1.00 |
| 2020 | 26,844 | 85.59 | 1.15 | 819,467 | 77.66 | 1.05 | 821,362 | 77.41 | 1.04 |
| 2019 | 26,633 | 85.10 | 1.12 | 849,310 | 80.70 | 1.06 | 851,175 | 80.59 | 1.06 |
| 2018 | 24,573 | 78.96 | 1.11 | 810,063 | 77.08 | 1.08 | 811,738 | 76.91 | 1.08 |
| 2017 | 24,331 | 78.79 | 1.23 | 758,160 | 72.41 | 1.13 | 759,755 | 72.22 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | 7,760 | 25.19 | 1.32 | 234,565 | 22.42 | 1.18 | 235,003 | 22.39 | 1.17 |
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Crime in Lewisham's Neighbourhoods
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| Neighbourhood | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beckenham Hill | 826 | 128.85 | 39% more dangerous |
| Bell Green | 225 | 80.65 | 13% safer |
| Bellingham | 1,161 | 121.36 | 31% more dangerous |
| Blackheath | 567 | 61.58 | 34% safer |
| Brockley | 1,293 | 66.32 | 28% safer |
| Catford | 3,314 | 82.23 | 11% safer |
| Crofton Park | 237 | 53.76 | 42% safer |
| Deptford | 3,183 | 104.96 | 13% more dangerous |
| Downham | 1,776 | 95.17 | 2.7% more dangerous |
| Forest Hill | 1,166 | 74.09 | 20% safer |
| Grove Park | 988 | 66.57 | 28% safer |
| Hither Green | 2,948 | 126.52 | 36% more dangerous |
| Honor Oak | 948 | 66.16 | 29% safer |
| Ladywell | 484 | 73.33 | 21% safer |
| Lee | 682 | 69.02 | 26% safer |
| Lewisham | 3,850 | 158.48 | 71% more dangerous |
| Lower Sydenham | 770 | 89.14 | 3.8% safer |
| New Cross | 1,234 | 119.20 | 29% more dangerous |
| New Cross Gate | 1,171 | 72.21 | 22% safer |
| Perry Vale | 526 | 50.35 | 46% safer |
| St. Johns | 756 | 115.86 | 25% more dangerous |
| Sydenham | 792 | 112.01 | 21% more dangerous |
| Upper Sydenham | 515 | 65.44 | 29% safer |
Lewisham Compared to Other London Boroughs
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| Borough | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 75,198 | 125.02 | 35% more dangerous |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 21,836 | 119.60 | 29% more dangerous |
| Lambeth | 37,842 | 103.24 | 11% more dangerous |
| Newham | 40,892 | 100.22 | 8% more dangerous |
| Camden | 39,579 | 97.84 | 6% more dangerous |
| Hackney | 31,315 | 97.19 | 4.9% more dangerous |
| Haringey | 28,040 | 95.10 | 2.6% more dangerous |
| Lewisham | 29,090 | 92.69 | - |
| Islington | 31,591 | 90.89 | 1.9% safer |
| Greenwich | 27,583 | 87.11 | 6% safer |
| Brent | 32,653 | 86.45 | 7% safer |
| Enfield | 29,378 | 85.76 | 7% safer |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 20,786 | 84.88 | 8% safer |
| Waltham Forest | 23,076 | 80.11 | 14% safer |
Comparing Lewisham to the UK's Major Cities
12 Months Ending Apr 2026
| City Name | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 79.55 | 14% safer |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 82.69 | 11% safer |
| Sheffield | 84.09 | 9% safer |
| Lewisham | 92.69 | - |
| Leicester | 97.87 | 6% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 104.64 | 13% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 105.05 | 13% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 106.48 | 15% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 107.10 | 16% more dangerous |
| Nottingham | 107.74 | 16% more dangerous |
| Westminster | 125.00 | 35% more dangerous |
CrimeRate Pro
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You can find out more, or get a CrimeRate Insights report that includes further analysis.
Offences In and Around Lewisham's Parks & Leisure Spaces
Limited to spaces in Lewisham that are named and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries in the 12 months to Apr 2026.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewisham BMX Track | 33 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Royal Naval Place South Allotment | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 21 |
| Broadway Fields | 48 | 12 | 21 | 18 | 48 | 137 |
| Blackheath | 71 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 59 | 73 |
| Chinbrook Meadows | 43 | - | 12 | 4 | 35 | 42 |
| Downham Fields | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 50 |
| Bridge House Meadows | 11 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 26 |
| Home Park | 22 | 10 | 4 | - | 37 | 33 |
| Ladywell Fields | 89 | 12 | 26 | 22 | 113 | 100 |
| Baxter Fields | - | - | 2 | - | 2 | 2 |
| Blythe Hill Fields | 17 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 26 |
| Glass Mill Leisure Centre | 26 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 42 | 71 |
| Peter Pan's Park | 7 | 2 | 1 | - | 8 | 10 |
| Brookmill Park | 20 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 40 | 30 |
| Brenchley Gardens | 1 | 1 | - | - | 10 | 17 |
| Camberwell Old Cemetery | 24 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 40 |
| Brockley Cemetery | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 22 |
| Ladywell Cemetery | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 26 |
| Brockley Hill Trust Garden | 21 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 34 | 15 |
| Sydenham Wells Park | 18 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 31 |
| St Dunstans College Jubilee Ground | 15 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 36 | 32 |
| Bellingham Green Park | 42 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 57 | 40 |
| Crystal Palace Park | 125 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 83 | 123 |
| Southend Park | 9 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 16 |
| Deptford Park | 31 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 44 | 49 |
| Pepys Park | 41 | 18 | 14 | 7 | 72 | 71 |
| Hatcham Gardens | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 26 |
| Folkestone Gardens | 15 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 21 | 31 |
| Fordham Park | 44 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 58 | 79 |
| Margaret Macmillan Park | 64 | 11 | 18 | 9 | 59 | 97 |
| Telegraph Hill Park | 17 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 26 |
| Luxmore Gardens | 8 | - | - | - | 10 | 6 |
| Friendly Gardens | 29 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 27 |
| Hilly Fields Park | 36 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 27 |
| Camberwell New Cemetery | 16 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 14 |
| Elliott Forde Park | 28 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 34 | 26 |
| Wildlife Garden | 13 | 1 | 2 | - | 11 | 19 |
| Blythe Hill Allotments | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 10 |
| Ladywell Bowling Club | 9 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 12 |
| Ravensbourne Park Gardens | 5 | 1 | 3 | - | 11 | 11 |
| Horniman Gardens | 3 | 1 | - | - | 15 | 16 |
| Horniman Triangle | 7 | 2 | 3 | - | 2 | 7 |
| Mayow Park | 18 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 57 | 50 |
| Hurstbourne Road Allotments | 12 | 2 | 2 | - | 11 | 16 |
| De Frene Market Garden | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| Broadmead Allotments | 1 | 2 | - | - | 13 | 7 |
| Taylor's Lane Allotments | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Longton Nursery Allotments | 14 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 32 | 27 |
| Alexandra Recreation Ground | 22 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 29 |
| Kent House Leisure Gardens | 12 | - | 1 | - | 7 | 22 |
| Firhill Road South Allotments | 3 | 2 | - | - | 16 | 14 |
| John Evelyn Community Garden | 19 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 20 |
| Eckington Gardens | 6 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 38 | 29 |
| Blackhorse Road Allotments | 15 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 47 |
| Edward Street Allotments | 8 | 1 | - | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Charlotte Turner Gardens | 8 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 38 | 37 |
| Royal Naval Place North Allotment | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 21 |
| Deloraine Street Allotments | 30 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 36 | 27 |
| Deptford Allotments | 5 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 8 |
| Edith Nesbit Gardens | 13 | - | - | - | 9 | 5 |
| Old Colfeians Sports Ground | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 30 |
| Barmeston Road Allotments | 18 | 7 | - | - | 12 | 5 |
| Knapmill Way Allotments | 13 | 2 | 1 | - | 14 | 10 |
| Bellingham Leisure Centre | 40 | 8 | 39 | 22 | 75 | 147 |
| Forster Park | 12 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 40 |
| Hazelbank Road Allotments | 4 | - | 1 | - | 10 | 16 |
| Northbrook Park | 7 | 3 | 1 | - | 20 | 15 |
| Baring Road Allotments | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 5 |
| Horn Park | 1 | 6 | - | - | 6 | 12 |
| Downham Health and Leisure Centre | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 50 |
| Kendale Road Allotments | 12 | 1 | 3 | - | 24 | 14 |
| Shaftesbury Park | 17 | 2 | 4 | - | 30 | 21 |
| Lewisham Park | 5 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 12 |
| Manor Park | 8 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 20 |
| Mountsfield Park | 38 | 18 | 11 | 8 | 111 | 93 |
| Manor House Gardens | 25 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 25 | 29 |
| Hither Green Cemetery | 3 | 2 | 5 | - | 9 | 13 |
| Cornmill Gardens | 60 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 58 | 78 |
| Clarendon Rise Allotments | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 8 |
| Forest Hill Pools | 21 | - | 9 | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Brockley Rise Sportsground | 14 | - | 2 | 1 | 13 | 22 |
| Tarleton Gardens | 14 | 3 | 8 | - | 11 | 18 |
Recent Crimes in Lewisham
The 20 most recent crime reports in Lewisham.
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Burglary | On or near Ashwater Road | |
| April 2026 | Other theft | On or near Franthorne Way | |
| April 2026 | Public order | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Shoplifting | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Theft from the person | On or near Beaumaris Mews | |
| April 2026 | Theft from the person | On or near Diana Close | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Mercia Grove | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Acorn Way | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Mercia Grove | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Slaithwaite Road | |
| April 2026 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Excalibur Drive |
Methodology & Data Sources
Lewisham Crime Report
Data Sources & Processing
Every month, CrimeRate processes crime reports from data.police.uk, the UK's official provider of open crime report data. Each crime report includes anonymised coordinates, most often "snapped" to the middle of the nearest street, or to the nearest major landmark. The reports also include the month and year the crime was reported, as well as the type of crime.
Data releases on data.police.uk happen once a month, with a two-month delay. This means that, for example, crimes reported in Lewisham during July 2026 will typically become available in September 2026. The latest release is for Apr 2026 and was released in Jun 2026. To provide current and historical crime statistics, CrimeRate processed 61,669,232 crime reports for the latest release.
Lewisham Data Points
For Lewisham, CrimeRate uses the geographic boundaries provided by The Office for National Statistics in the December 2023 release of their Parishes and Non Civil Parished Areas dataset, using the PARNCP23CD column value E43000213.
Due to the 2021 Census being conducted during a UK-wide Coronavirus lockdown, the daytime population figures released so far cannot be relied on for purposes such as comparing crime rates. Instead, CrimeRate uses Lewisham's daytime - or "workday" - population of 218,497 from the ONS 2011 Census for calculations throughout the site.
All geographic boundaries use the full resolution - extent of the realm versions where provided to avoid missing crime reports near coastlines and rivers - the banks of the Thames in particular - that would otherwise not be included when using the clipped to the coastline datasets.
Calculating Crime Rates
CrimeRate locates the UK region, county, and town/city/village locality for each crime report, and calculates the crime rate by taking the sum of all crime reports, dividing it by the locality's daytime / "workday" population, and multiplying the result by 1,000 to get the crime rate per 1,000.
Crime Risk Score Calculations
CrimeRate calculates crime counts for local, nearby, and wider areas for every postcode in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The postcodes locations are deduplicated by a process that ensures distinct points are approximately 50 metres apart. This process removes the bias that would otherwise come from counting the same crimes several times in heavily populated areas.
Using a custom algorithm developed in-house, CrimeRate applies a crime severity weighting to each area's crime counts, based on the type of crime reported. This increases or decreases the crime count, or zeroes it out entirely, depending on the crime type. A separate crime severity rate is then calculated, standardised, and scaled to fit the crime risk score range of 1 to 1,000, with 1 being the lowest score, and 1,000 the highest.
Crime risk scores undergo further analysis per town, city, and village plus other areas including police forces and neighbourhoods. CrimeRate uses percentiles to work out the most common range of crime risk scores in each locality. This includes identifying the high and low bounds where approximately 68% of scores fall, and finding the median (50th percentile) for easy reference.
The crime types with a weight of zero are: Anti-Social Behaviour; Bicycle Theft; Other Crime; Other Theft; and Shoplifting. The highest weights to are assigned to Violence & Sexual Offences, and the lowest to Vehicle Crime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crime in Lewisham