Southwark Crime Overview
Southwark is among the top 10 most dangerous cities in London, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Southwark in 2020 was 100 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 501st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In July 2020, Southwark had the worst crime rate in London for bicycle theft, with 274 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.86 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2020 was also a bad month for Southwark residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for drugs, recording 253 crimes at a rate of 0.79 per 1,000 residents. Southwark recorded 208 reports of other theft during May 2020, making its crime rate of 0.65 the worst for other theft in London that month.
The most common crimes in Southwark are violence and sexual offences, with 8,761 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 27. This is 9% lower than 2019's figure of 9,583 offences and a difference of 2.58 from 2019's crime rate of 30. Southwark's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 305 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 10% from 2019's figure of 335 crimes.
Compare Southwark to other towns and cities
See how Southwark shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Southwark and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Southwark Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Southwark This Year
| Southwark | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 17,033 | 53.42 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 13% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,811 | 5.68 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 52% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,528 | 7.93 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 14% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,966 | 6.17 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 6% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 2,245 | 7.04 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 16% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 321 | 1.01 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 14% safer |
| Other Theft | 3,706 | 11.62 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 19% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 305 | 0.96 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 30% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 2,230 | 6.99 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 10% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 1,510 | 4.74 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 35% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 1,017 | 3.19 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 25% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 2,077 | 6.51 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 40% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,345 | 10.49 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 15% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 8,761 | 27.48 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 7% more dangerous |
Crime in Southwark Compared To London
Southwark Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | 18,441 | 86.62 | 15% safer |
| Lewisham | 26,978 | 88.21 | 13% safer |
| Lambeth | 30,395 | 93.23 | 7% safer |
| Newham | 33,029 | 93.53 | 7% safer |
| Tower Hamlets | 30,740 | 94.66 | 5% safer |
| Southwark | 31,822 | 99.81 | - |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 18,574 | 100.32 | 0.51% more dangerous |
| Haringey | 28,144 | 104.76 | 4.7% more dangerous |
| Islington | 25,583 | 105.51 | 5% more dangerous |
| Hackney | 29,840 | 106.15 | 6% more dangerous |
| Camden | 30,853 | 114.26 | 13% more dangerous |
Southwark Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 26 | 26 | 29 | 53 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 5.0 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.98 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 15 | 18 | 19 | 12 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.96 | Safer |
| Public Order | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4.7 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.2 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 7 | 7 | 13 | 7 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 26 | 30 | 30 | 27 | Safer |
Changes In Southwark's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Southwark to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 47% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 29% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 20% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 16% safer |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 16% safer |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 2.4% safer |
| Southwark | 99.81 | - |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 3.0% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 7% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 25% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 27% more dangerous |
Crime in Southwark's Neighbourhoods
Borough & Southwark Street is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Southwark, followed by Bermondsey North in second place, and Elephant & Castle as the third most dangerous area. Southwark's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Nunhead South & Newlands, Peckham North West, and Rotherhithe.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bermondsey East | 1,106 | 82 | 20th |
| Bermondsey North | 2,570 | 180 | Second |
| Borough & Southwark Street | 2,524 | 220 | First |
| Burgess Park | 718 | 90 | 17th |
| Burgess Park West & John Ruskin Street | 951 | 106 | 12th |
| Camberwell Green | 1,208 | 109 | Tenth |
| Camberwell North | 633 | 68 | 26th |
| Camberwell South | 846 | 91 | 16th |
| Canada Water | 1,438 | 132 | Seventh |
| Dulwich Hill | 573 | 58 | 29th |
| East Dulwich | 631 | 74 | 24th |
| Elephant & Castle | 1,136 | 157 | Third |
| Herne Hill & Dulwich Park | 524 | 56 | 30th |
| Kennington East | 875 | 83 | 18th |
| London Bridge & Bermondsey West | 1,361 | 126 | Eighth |
| North Dulwich | 619 | 71 | 25th |
| Nunhead North | 714 | 66 | 28th |
| Nunhead South & Newlands | 382 | 49 | 33rd |
| Peckham North | 1,219 | 142 | Sixth |
| Peckham North West | 506 | 53 | 32nd |
| Peckham Park Road | 930 | 95 | 13th |
| Peckham Rye | 1,079 | 108 | 11th |
| Peckham Rye Common | 671 | 68 | 27th |
| Queens Road Peckham | 892 | 77 | 22nd |
| Rotherhithe | 526 | 55 | 31st |
| South Bermondsey Central | 984 | 93 | 15th |
| South Bermondsey East | 599 | 82 | 19th |
| South Bermondsey West | 987 | 112 | Ninth |
| Southwark St George's | 1,241 | 149 | Fourth |
| Surrey Quays | 845 | 82 | 21st |
| Sydenham Hill | 636 | 75 | 23rd |
| Walworth North | 1,244 | 146 | Fifth |
| Walworth South | 676 | 94 | 14th |
Southwark Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
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 | Herne Hill & Dulwich Park (205) | Walworth South (664) |
| Bicycle Theft | Nunhead South & Newlands (7) | Borough & Southwark Street (302) |
| Burglary | Nunhead South & Newlands (33) | Borough & Southwark Street (173) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Herne Hill & Dulwich Park (21) | Peckham North (95) |
| Drugs | East Dulwich (7) | Elephant & Castle (171) |
| Other Crime | Herne Hill & Dulwich Park (3) | Elephant & Castle (17) |
| Other Theft | Nunhead South & Newlands (21) | Borough & Southwark Street (616) |
| Possession of Weapons | Dulwich Hill (1) | Elephant & Castle (17) |
| Public Order | Peckham North West (21) | Bermondsey North (188) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Peckham North West (10) | Elephant & Castle (82) |
| Shoplifting | Nunhead North (1) | Peckham North (84) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Nunhead South & Newlands (4) | Borough & Southwark Street (308) |
| Vehicle Crime | Kennington East (59) | Camberwell South (173) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Herne Hill & Dulwich Park (95) | Peckham North (392) |
Crime in Southwark During Coronavirus Lockdowns
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% | -28% | -20% | -9% | -2% | -17% | -18% | -26% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -28% | -21% | -29% | +11% | +13% | +11% | +12% | +1% | -9% | -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% | +4% | +24% | -8% | -3% | -19% |
| Robbery | -29% | -78% | -68% | -41% | -34% | +4% | -41% | -38% | -52% | -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% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Southwark
What police force serves Southwark?
Southwark's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Southwark?
Southwark is among the top 10 most dangerous cities in London.What is Southwark's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Southwark are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Southwark?
Southwark's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021