Tower Hamlets is among the top 10 most dangerous boroughs in London. The overall crime rate in Tower Hamlets in 2021 was 97 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 11% 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 city, and the 633rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2021, Tower Hamlets had the worst crime rate in London for bicycle theft, with 179 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.55 per 1,000 inhabitants. March 2021 was also a bad month for Tower Hamlets residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for drugs, recording 277 crimes at a rate of 0.85 per 1,000 residents. Tower Hamlets recorded 234 reports of burglary during August 2021, making its crime rate of 0.72 the worst for burglary in London that month.
The most common crimes in Tower Hamlets are violence and sexual offences, with 9,903 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 30. This is 12% higher than 2020's figure of 8,762 offences and a difference of 3.51 from 2020's crime rate of 27. Tower Hamlets's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 185 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 31% from 2020's figure of 243 crimes.
Top 10 Most Dangerous
Boroughs, London
11% higher, regional crime rate
London
21% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Tower Hamlets is 11% higher than London and 21% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Tower Hamlets | |
| London | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Tower Hamlets represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 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: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97 | 31,621 |
| 2020 | 95 | 30,740 |
| 2019 | 104 | 33,625 |
| 2018 | 104 | 33,665 |
| 2017 | 95 | 30,808 |
| 2016 | 91 | 29,508 |
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| Tower Hamlets | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 18,330 | 56.44 | 303,000 | 33.85 | 40% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,797 | 5.53 | 21,536 | 2.41 | 56% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,360 | 7.27 | 52,414 | 5.85 | 20% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,140 | 6.59 | 53,198 | 5.94 | 10% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 2,371 | 7.30 | 43,227 | 4.83 | 34% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 380 | 1.17 | 10,265 | 1.15 | 1.7% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 3,238 | 9.97 | 90,137 | 10.07 | 1.0% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 185 | 0.57 | 5,014 | 0.56 | 1.8% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 2,506 | 7.72 | 61,305 | 6.85 | 11% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 969 | 2.98 | 22,528 | 2.52 | 15% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 716 | 2.20 | 33,674 | 3.76 | 71% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 1,742 | 5.36 | 39,809 | 4.45 | 17% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,314 | 10.20 | 98,517 | 11.00 | 8% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 9,903 | 30.49 | 244,978 | 27.36 | 10% more dangerous |
| Borough | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewisham | 26,128 | 85.43 | 14% safer |
| Barking and Dagenham | 18,483 | 86.81 | 12% safer |
| Greenwich | 25,037 | 86.95 | 12% safer |
| Newham | 32,828 | 92.96 | 4.7% safer |
| Lambeth | 31,362 | 96.19 | 1.2% safer |
| Tower Hamlets | 31,621 | 97.37 | - |
| Southwark | 31,379 | 98.42 | 1.1% more dangerous |
| Islington | 24,816 | 102.35 | 4.9% more dangerous |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 19,100 | 103.16 | 6% more dangerous |
| Hackney | 29,610 | 105.33 | 8% more dangerous |
| Haringey | 28,390 | 105.68 | 8% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Joseph Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Nightclub | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Diss Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near A100 | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Whitechapel High Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Stour Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Parking Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near South Colonnade | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Pepper Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Dellow Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Copeland Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Spital Square | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Milward Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near British Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Gascoigne Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near Golding Street | Local resolution |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Drugs | On or near Cable Street | Offender given a drugs possession warning |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Turville Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 41 | 47 | 77 | 56 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.5 | 4.4 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Drugs | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 14 | 15 | 10 | 10 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.96 | 0.84 | 0.75 | 0.57 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 4.7 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.2 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 6 | 7 | 3.9 | 5 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 29 | 28 | 27 | 30 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Tower Hamlets 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jubilee Park | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 33 |
| Langdon Park | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Millwall Park | 32 | - | - | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4.8 |
| Poplar Recreation Ground | 4 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 2.4 |
| Prospect Park | 13 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 58 |
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.08 | 45% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 18% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 8% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 8% safer |
| Tower Hamlets | 97.37 | - |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 4.8% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 13% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 21% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 25% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 26% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 35% more dangerous |
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 | 1,339 | 97 | 14th |
| Bethnal Green Central | 737 | 91 | 18th |
| Bethnal Green East | 1,023 | 147 | Third |
| Bethnal Green North East | 837 | 100 | 11th |
| Bethnal Green North West | 1,003 | 134 | Sixth |
| Bethnal Green South | 1,371 | 169 | First |
| Blackwall & Leamouth | 1,742 | 86 | 23rd |
| Bow North & Fish Island | 1,114 | 103 | Tenth |
| Bow South | 1,272 | 99 | 12th |
| Bow West | 1,033 | 95 | 15th |
| Brick Lane North | 1,106 | 122 | Eighth |
| Bromley-by-Bow East | 968 | 83 | 26th |
| Bromley-by-Bow West | 1,156 | 84 | 25th |
| Canary Wharf | 1,161 | 139 | Fifth |
| Columbia Road | 941 | 141 | Fourth |
| Limehouse East | 872 | 92 | 17th |
| Limehouse North & Stepney East | 825 | 77 | 28th |
| Mile End East & Burdett Estate | 1,398 | 105 | Ninth |
| Mile End West | 948 | 85 | 24th |
| Millwall North | 673 | 61 | 30th |
| Millwall South | 441 | 37 | 32nd |
| Mudchute | 401 | 49 | 31st |
| Poplar Central | 874 | 97 | 13th |
| Poplar Leaside | 897 | 94 | 16th |
| Poplar West | 926 | 81 | 27th |
| Shadwell Basin & Ratcliffe | 934 | 90 | 19th |
| Shadwell North | 689 | 89 | 21st |
| Spitalfields | 1,951 | 163 | Second |
| St George in the East & Wapping North | 657 | 76 | 29th |
| Stepney Green | 841 | 90 | 20th |
| Tower Hill & Wapping South | 595 | 87 | 22nd |
| Whitechapel | 872 | 130 | Seventh |
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 | Bow West (386) | Columbia Road (684) |
| Bicycle Theft | Millwall South (9) | Bethnal Green South (120) |
| Burglary | Millwall South (38) | Limehouse East (134) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Millwall South (30) | Bethnal Green East (87) |
| Drugs | Millwall South (24) | Bethnal Green South (141) |
| Other Crime | Millwall North (5) | Bethnal Green East (20) |
| Other Theft | Mudchute (27) | Spitalfields (353) |
| Possession of Weapons | St George in the East & Wapping North (1) | Spitalfields (17) |
| Public Order | Millwall South (42) | Bethnal Green South (130) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Millwall South (7) | Columbia Road (44) |
| Shoplifting | Millwall South (1) | Canary Wharf (168) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Mudchute (1) | Columbia Road (136) |
| Vehicle Crime | Millwall South (38) | Bethnal Green East (139) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Millwall South (191) | Bethnal Green South (380) |
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% |
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