Tower Hamlets Crime Overview
Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets in 2020 was 95 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 8% higher than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Tower Hamlets is among the top 20 most dangerous cities, and the 606th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Tower Hamlets had the worst crime rate in London for bicycle theft, with 124 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.38 per 1,000 inhabitants. April 2020 was also a bad month for Tower Hamlets residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 197 crimes at a rate of 0.61 per 1,000 residents. Tower Hamlets recorded 223 reports of criminal damage and arson during February 2020, making its crime rate of 0.69 the worst for criminal damage and arson in London that month.
The most common crimes in Tower Hamlets are violence and sexual offences, with 8,762 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 27. This is 2.4% lower than 2019's figure of 8,970 offences and a difference of 0.64 from 2019's crime rate of 28. Tower Hamlets's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 243 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 12% from 2019's figure of 273 crimes.
Compare Tower Hamlets to other towns and cities
See how Tower Hamlets shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Tower Hamlets and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Tower Hamlets Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Tower Hamlets This Year
| Tower Hamlets | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 25,163 | 77.49 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 40% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 2,056 | 6.33 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 57% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,661 | 8.19 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 17% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,000 | 6.16 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 6% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 2,756 | 8.49 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 31% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 413 | 1.27 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 9% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 3,086 | 9.50 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 0.95% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 243 | 0.75 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 11% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 2,258 | 6.95 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 9% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 1,011 | 3.11 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 0.96% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 804 | 2.48 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 60% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 1,274 | 3.92 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 0% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,416 | 10.52 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 14% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 8,762 | 26.98 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 4.8% more dangerous |
Crime in Tower Hamlets Compared To London
Tower Hamlets Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hounslow | 23,385 | 86.13 | 10% safer |
| Barking and Dagenham | 18,441 | 86.62 | 9% safer |
| Lewisham | 26,978 | 88.21 | 7% safer |
| Lambeth | 30,395 | 93.23 | 1.5% safer |
| Newham | 33,029 | 93.53 | 1.2% safer |
| Tower Hamlets | 30,740 | 94.66 | - |
| Southwark | 31,822 | 99.81 | 5% more dangerous |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 18,574 | 100.32 | 6% more dangerous |
| Haringey | 28,144 | 104.76 | 10% more dangerous |
| Islington | 25,583 | 105.51 | 10% more dangerous |
| Hackney | 29,840 | 106.15 | 11% more dangerous |
Tower Hamlets Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 40 | 41 | 47 | 77 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 4.0 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 12 | 14 | 15 | 10 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.83 | 0.96 | 0.84 | 0.75 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 3.1 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 3.9 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3.9 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 26 | 29 | 28 | 27 | Safer |
Changes In Tower Hamlets's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Tower Hamlets to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 40% safer |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 22% safer |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 14% safer |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 10% safer |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 10% safer |
| Tower Hamlets | 94.66 | - |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 2.9% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 8% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 12% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 29% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 31% more dangerous |
Crime in Tower Hamlets's Neighbourhoods
Bethnal Green South is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Tower Hamlets, followed by Spitalfields in second place, and Bethnal Green East as the third most dangerous area. Tower Hamlets's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Millwall North, Millwall South, and Mudchute.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldgate | 1,355 | 98 | 15th |
| Bethnal Green Central | 644 | 79 | 26th |
| Bethnal Green East | 928 | 134 | Third |
| Bethnal Green North East | 829 | 99 | 14th |
| Bethnal Green North West | 889 | 119 | Sixth |
| Bethnal Green South | 1,436 | 177 | First |
| Blackwall & Leamouth | 1,675 | 82 | 20th |
| Bow North & Fish Island | 1,046 | 97 | 16th |
| Bow South | 1,335 | 104 | 11th |
| Bow West | 1,175 | 108 | Ninth |
| Brick Lane North | 1,075 | 118 | Seventh |
| Bromley-by-Bow East | 933 | 80 | 24th |
| Bromley-by-Bow West | 1,082 | 78 | 27th |
| Canary Wharf | 977 | 117 | Eighth |
| Columbia Road | 822 | 123 | Fifth |
| Limehouse East | 858 | 91 | 18th |
| Limehouse North & Stepney East | 792 | 74 | 29th |
| Mile End East & Burdett Estate | 1,290 | 97 | 17th |
| Mile End West | 893 | 80 | 23rd |
| Millwall North | 546 | 49 | 30th |
| Millwall South | 417 | 35 | 32nd |
| Mudchute | 355 | 44 | 31st |
| Poplar Central | 960 | 107 | Tenth |
| Poplar Leaside | 957 | 101 | 13th |
| Poplar West | 906 | 79 | 25th |
| Shadwell Basin & Ratcliffe | 835 | 81 | 22nd |
| Shadwell North | 632 | 82 | 21st |
| Spitalfields | 2,016 | 168 | Second |
| St George in the East & Wapping North | 659 | 76 | 28th |
| Stepney Green | 829 | 89 | 19th |
| Tower Hill & Wapping South | 687 | 101 | 12th |
| Whitechapel | 880 | 131 | Fourth |
Tower Hamlets Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Tower Hamlets for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Millwall North (533) | Bethnal Green South (997) |
| Bicycle Theft | Millwall South (8) | Spitalfields (228) |
| Burglary | Millwall South (40) | Tower Hill & Wapping South (103) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Millwall South (34) | Bethnal Green East (86) |
| Drugs | Millwall North (21) | Bethnal Green South (180) |
| Other Crime | Mudchute (1) | Bethnal Green East (21) |
| Other Theft | Millwall South (30) | Spitalfields (294) |
| Possession of Weapons | Bow North & Fish Island (3) | Bethnal Green East (13) |
| Public Order | Millwall North (34) | Bethnal Green South (118) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Millwall North (8) | Bethnal Green South (66) |
| Shoplifting | Millwall South (1) | Canary Wharf (174) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Millwall South (3) | Columbia Road (101) |
| Vehicle Crime | Millwall South (24) | Poplar Leaside (183) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Millwall South (172) | Bethnal Green South (356) |
Crime in Tower Hamlets During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Tower Hamlets change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Tower Hamlets saw a 200% increase in anti-social behaviour. Tower Hamlets saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 72% compared to May in 2019. Rates of burglary and other theft both fell year-on-year for every month during Tower Hamlets's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +20% | +200% | +147% | +84% | +20% | +43% | +42% | +44% | +102% | +77% |
| Bicycle Theft | -39% | -37% | -17% | +19% | +61% | +186% | +168% | +115% | +93% | +53% |
| Burglary | -29% | -21% | -25% | -20% | -7% | -10% | +7% | -13% | -6% | -37% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -3% | -22% | +2% | -24% | +10% | +16% | +36% | -11% | -5% | -6% |
| Drugs | -32% | -3% | +100% | +87% | +26% | +2% | +34% | +83% | -3% | +13% |
| Other Crime | -17% | +53% | +8% | -14% | -29% | +76% | +104% | +83% | -5% | +12% |
| Other Theft | -52% | -65% | -65% | -46% | -26% | +2% | -2% | -28% | -39% | -37% |
| Possession of Weapons | -48% | -33% | +13% | +58% | +10% | -39% | +13% | +10% | -28% | -19% |
| Public Order | -22% | -18% | -7% | -11% | +5% | +5% | +26% | +8% | +12% | -11% |
| Robbery | -12% | -67% | -45% | -44% | -10% | -18% | -25% | -38% | -49% | -34% |
| Shoplifting | -17% | -40% | -46% | -5% | +6% | +7% | -20% | -8% | -20% | -31% |
| Theft From the Person | -48% | -65% | -72% | -71% | -42% | -33% | -15% | -44% | -49% | -39% |
| Vehicle Crime | +20% | -29% | -24% | -24% | +19% | +7% | +14% | -19% | -34% | -18% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -16% | -21% | -20% | -14% | -5% | +17% | +13% | +4% | +6% | +11% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Tower Hamlets
What police force serves Tower Hamlets?
Tower Hamlets's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Tower Hamlets?
Tower Hamlets is among the top 10 most dangerous cities in London.What is Tower Hamlets's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Tower Hamlets are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Tower Hamlets?
Tower Hamlets's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021