Southwark is among the top 10 most dangerous boroughs in London. The overall crime rate in Southwark in 2021 was 98 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 12% higher than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Southwark is among the top 20 most dangerous cities, and the 589th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Southwark had the worst crime rate in London for bicycle theft, with 98 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.31 per 1,000 inhabitants. April 2021 was also a bad month for Southwark residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for possession of weapons, recording 29 crimes at a rate of 0.09 per 1,000 residents. Southwark recorded 212 reports of burglary during May 2021, making its crime rate of 0.66 the worst for burglary in London that month.
The most common crimes in Southwark are violence and sexual offences, with 9,091 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 29. This is 3.7% higher than 2020's figure of 8,758 offences and a difference of 1.04 from 2020's crime rate of 27. Southwark's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 243 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 26% from 2020's figure of 305 crimes.
Top 10 Most Dangerous
Boroughs, London
12% higher, regional crime rate
London
26% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Southwark is 12% higher than London and 26% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Southwark | |
| London | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Southwark represent the time frame between April 2019 and March 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
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 visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
Set up monthly updates on crime & public safety issues. We never spam.
Thanks! Please check your email and confirm your signup there.
| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 98 | 31,379 |
| 2020 | 100 | 31,811 |
| 2019 | 123 | 39,108 |
| 2018 | 114 | 36,318 |
| 2017 | 104 | 33,267 |
| 2016 | 100 | 31,903 |
We're available to answer questions about crime data and can supply custom data to support your work.
Email us directly
| Southwark | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 11,990 | 37.61 | 303,000 | 33.85 | 10% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,558 | 4.89 | 21,536 | 2.41 | 51% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,339 | 7.34 | 52,414 | 5.85 | 20% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,896 | 5.95 | 53,198 | 5.94 | 0.17% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 2,082 | 6.53 | 43,227 | 4.83 | 26% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 341 | 1.07 | 10,265 | 1.15 | 7% safer |
| Other Theft | 4,214 | 13.22 | 90,137 | 10.07 | 24% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 243 | 0.76 | 5,014 | 0.56 | 26% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 2,316 | 7.26 | 61,305 | 6.85 | 6% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 1,103 | 3.46 | 22,528 | 2.52 | 27% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 1,072 | 3.36 | 33,674 | 3.76 | 12% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2,359 | 7.40 | 39,809 | 4.45 | 40% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 2,765 | 8.67 | 98,517 | 11.00 | 27% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 9,091 | 28.51 | 244,975 | 27.36 | 4.0% more dangerous |
| Borough | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | 18,483 | 86.81 | 13% safer |
| Greenwich | 25,037 | 86.95 | 13% safer |
| Newham | 32,828 | 92.96 | 6% safer |
| Lambeth | 31,362 | 96.19 | 2.3% safer |
| Tower Hamlets | 31,621 | 97.37 | 1.1% safer |
| Southwark | 31,379 | 98.42 | - |
| Islington | 24,816 | 102.35 | 3.8% more dangerous |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 19,100 | 103.16 | 4.6% more dangerous |
| Hackney | 29,610 | 105.33 | 7% more dangerous |
| Haringey | 28,390 | 105.68 | 7% more dangerous |
| Camden | 28,855 | 106.86 | 8% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Lausanne Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Mandela Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Page'S Walk | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Needleman Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Newington Butts | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Petrol Station | Local resolution |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Roseberry Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Avondale Square | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Regal Row | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Wells Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Crescent Wood Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Drugs | On or near Arch Street | Offender given penalty notice |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Marine Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Surrey Quays Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Royal Oak Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Lausanne Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Staveley Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Page'S Walk | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Muschamp Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 26 | 29 | 53 | 38 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.2 | 3.9 | 6 | 4.9 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 18 | 19 | 12 | 13 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.96 | 0.76 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 6 | 8 | 4.7 | 3.5 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.4 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 7 | 13 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 30 | 30 | 27 | 29 | Safer |
We only display green spaces in Southwark that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bermondsey Spa Gardens | 7 | - | 3 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Brimmington Park | 83 | - | 1 | - | 7 | 0 | 51 |
| Brunswick Park | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2.5 |
| Burgess Park | 17 | 9 | 5 | 18 | 19 | 34 | 2.2 |
| Guy Street Park | 34 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 21 | 153 |
| Leyton Square | 4 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Mary Datchelor Playing Fields | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 4 | 1.4 |
| Peckham Rye Park | 50 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 2.1 |
| Russia Dock Woodland | 36 | - | 6 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 8 |
| Southwark Park | 16 | - | - | - | - | 7 | 0.86 |
| Warwick Garden | 1 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3.3 |
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 146% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 98% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 47% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 19% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 9% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 9% safer |
| Southwark | 98.42 | - |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 12% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 20% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 26% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 35% more dangerous |
Borough & Southwark Street is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Southwark, followed by Bermondsey North in second place, and Southwark St George's as the third most dangerous area. Southwark's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Dulwich Hill, Herne Hill & Dulwich Park, and Peckham North West.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bermondsey East | 989 | 73 | 22nd |
| Bermondsey North | 2,508 | 175 | Second |
| Borough & Southwark Street | 2,696 | 235 | First |
| Burgess Park | 735 | 93 | 16th |
| Burgess Park West & John Ruskin Street | 1,045 | 117 | Ninth |
| Camberwell Green | 1,235 | 111 | Tenth |
| Camberwell North | 588 | 63 | 27th |
| Camberwell South | 837 | 90 | 17th |
| Canada Water | 1,384 | 127 | Eighth |
| Dulwich Hill | 492 | 50 | 32nd |
| East Dulwich | 514 | 60 | 28th |
| Elephant & Castle | 951 | 131 | Seventh |
| Herne Hill & Dulwich Park | 453 | 48 | 33rd |
| Kennington East | 868 | 83 | 18th |
| London Bridge & Bermondsey West | 1,494 | 138 | Sixth |
| North Dulwich | 560 | 64 | 26th |
| Nunhead North | 699 | 65 | 25th |
| Nunhead South & Newlands | 406 | 52 | 30th |
| Peckham North | 1,262 | 147 | Fourth |
| Peckham North West | 480 | 50 | 31st |
| Peckham Park Road | 943 | 96 | 14th |
| Peckham Rye | 1,030 | 103 | 13th |
| Peckham Rye Common | 662 | 67 | 23rd |
| Queens Road Peckham | 894 | 77 | 20th |
| Rotherhithe | 510 | 54 | 29th |
| South Bermondsey Central | 988 | 93 | 15th |
| South Bermondsey East | 597 | 82 | 19th |
| South Bermondsey West | 938 | 106 | 12th |
| Southwark St George's | 1,273 | 153 | Third |
| Surrey Quays | 788 | 76 | 21st |
| Sydenham Hill | 560 | 66 | 24th |
| Walworth North | 1,216 | 143 | Fifth |
| Walworth South | 794 | 110 | 11th |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Southwark for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Nunhead South & Newlands (148) | Borough & Southwark Street (853) |
| Bicycle Theft | Nunhead South & Newlands (7) | Borough & Southwark Street (284) |
| Burglary | Nunhead South & Newlands (24) | Borough & Southwark Street (185) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Dulwich Hill (30) | Walworth North (89) |
| Drugs | East Dulwich (7) | Bermondsey North (256) |
| Other Crime | Dulwich Hill (1) | Peckham North (19) |
| Other Theft | Rotherhithe (44) | Borough & Southwark Street (636) |
| Possession of Weapons | Dulwich Hill (1) | Elephant & Castle (13) |
| Public Order | Rotherhithe (20) | Bermondsey North (247) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Nunhead South & Newlands (9) | Borough & Southwark Street (111) |
| Shoplifting | Peckham North West (1) | Walworth South (137) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Sydenham Hill (3) | Borough & Southwark Street (346) |
| Vehicle Crime | Kennington East (43) | Camberwell South (131) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Herne Hill & Dulwich Park (108) | Walworth North (397) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Southwark change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Southwark saw a 228% increase in anti-social behaviour. Southwark saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 90% compared to April in 2019. Rates of robbery and shoplifting both fell year-on-year for every month during Southwark's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +21% | +228% | +222% | +86% | +62% | +65% | +61% | +64% | +79% | +81% |
| Bicycle Theft | -25% | -50% | -35% | +75% | +114% | +132% | +129% | +67% | +59% | +4% |
| Burglary | -40% | -23% | -30% | -27% | -20% | -9% | -2% | -18% | -18% | -26% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -28% | -21% | -29% | +11% | +13% | +11% | +12% | +1% | -11% | -5% |
| Drugs | -32% | -8% | +26% | -12% | -31% | -24% | -3% | +0% | +22% | +3% |
| Other Crime | -38% | -24% | -13% | -24% | -9% | -9% | -17% | +55% | +23% | -21% |
| Other Theft | -43% | -72% | -62% | -47% | -36% | -15% | -22% | -45% | -52% | -40% |
| Possession of Weapons | -52% | - | -23% | -45% | -49% | +70% | +35% | +68% | +100% | -4% |
| Public Order | -6% | -14% | -22% | -25% | +0% | +3% | +24% | -8% | -4% | -19% |
| Robbery | -29% | -78% | -68% | -41% | -34% | +4% | -41% | -38% | -53% | -46% |
| Shoplifting | -30% | -45% | -44% | -43% | +9% | -21% | -19% | -20% | -27% | -34% |
| Theft From the Person | -40% | -90% | -83% | -69% | -64% | -42% | -56% | -51% | -51% | -24% |
| Vehicle Crime | -38% | -33% | -15% | -12% | +61% | +14% | -18% | -1% | +14% | -27% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -22% | -30% | -24% | -20% | -2% | +14% | +11% | +2% | -11% | -16% |
Search by area
