Wandsworth Crime Overview
Wandsworth is among the top 10 safest cities in London, and is among the top 10 safest overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Wandsworth in 2020 was 74 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to London's overall crime rate, coming in 19% lower than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Wandsworth is among the top 20 safest cities, and the 1,247th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In October 2016, Wandsworth had the worst crime rate in London for vehicle crime, with 456 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.4 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The most common crimes in Wandsworth are violence and sexual offences, with 7,192 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 22. This is 0.68% higher than 2019's figure of 7,143 offences and a difference of 0.15 from 2019's crime rate of 22. Wandsworth's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 141 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 12% from 2019's figure of 158 crimes.
Compare Wandsworth to other towns and cities
See how Wandsworth shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Wandsworth and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Wandsworth Crime Map
Crime in Wandsworth Compared To London
Summary of Crimes in Wandsworth This Year
| Wandsworth | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 13,941 | 42.29 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 10% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,340 | 4.06 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 33% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 2,265 | 6.87 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 0.73% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,543 | 4.68 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 24% safer |
| Drugs | 1,438 | 4.36 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 35% safer |
| Other Crime | 302 | 0.92 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 25% safer |
| Other Theft | 2,453 | 7.44 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 26% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 141 | 0.43 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 56% safer |
| Public Order | 1,782 | 5.41 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 16% safer |
| Robbery | 759 | 2.30 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 34% safer |
| Shoplifting | 924 | 2.80 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 42% safer |
| Theft From the Person | 587 | 1.78 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 120% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,556 | 10.79 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 11% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 7,192 | 21.82 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 18% safer |
Wandsworth Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley | 15,595 | 62.81 | 17% safer |
| Havering | 16,717 | 64.41 | 14% safer |
| Merton | 13,453 | 65.13 | 13% safer |
| Bromley | 21,684 | 65.25 | 13% safer |
| Barnet | 26,806 | 67.71 | 9% safer |
| Wandsworth | 24,282 | 73.65 | - |
| Redbridge | 22,873 | 74.94 | 1.7% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 32,181 | 83.22 | 11% more dangerous |
| Ealing | 28,578 | 83.61 | 12% more dangerous |
| Waltham Forest | 23,281 | 84.05 | 12% more dangerous |
| Hillingdon | 25,813 | 84.12 | 12% more dangerous |
Crime Over Time in Wandsworth
View crime percentage over time forWandsworth Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 19 | 19 | 21 | 42 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 4.1 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 6 | 5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 4.4 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.81 | 0.92 | 0.81 | 0.92 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.49 | 0.56 | 0.48 | 0.43 | Safer |
| Public Order | 4.4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | Getting worse |
Changes In Wandsworth's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Wandsworth's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Wandsworth that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2020.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Festival Pleasure Gardens | 93 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 34 | 45 | 2.5 |
| Garratt Park | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | 1.0 |
| King George's Park | 13 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 3.6 |
| King George's Park Playing Fields | 40 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
| Rosslyn Park | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 3.9 |
| Sir Walter St Johns Playing Field | 14 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 4.2 |
| Tooting Graveney Common | 6 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.28 |
Comparing Wandsworth to the UK's Major Cities
| City | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnet | 67.71 | 9% safer |
| Wandsworth | 73.65 | - |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 4.9% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 11% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 14% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 15% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 24% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 28% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 31% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 45% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 46% more dangerous |
Crime in Wandsworth's Neighbourhoods
Tooting East is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Wandsworth, followed by Putney Town & Wandsworth Park in second place, and Clapham Junction & East Hill as the third most dangerous area. Wandsworth's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Clapham Common West, Merton Road, and West Hill South.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balham | 735 | 83 | 11th |
| Battersea Latchmere | 505 | 63 | 21st |
| Battersea Park | 560 | 68 | 20th |
| Clapham Common West | 434 | 45 | 35th |
| Clapham Junction & East Hill | 1,201 | 120 | Third |
| Earlsfield North | 580 | 56 | 24th |
| Earlsfield South | 754 | 88 | Tenth |
| East Putney | 461 | 50 | 27th |
| Furzedown East | 518 | 62 | 22nd |
| Furzedown West | 430 | 50 | 28th |
| Lavender Hill East | 519 | 71 | 17th |
| Lavender Hill West & Little India | 1,146 | 104 | Fifth |
| Merton Road | 395 | 43 | 36th |
| Nightingale Lane | 419 | 50 | 26th |
| Nine Elms & Patmore | 1,299 | 88 | Ninth |
| Putney Embankment & Lower Common | 473 | 55 | 25th |
| Putney Town & Wandsworth Park | 1,522 | 129 | Second |
| Putney West | 417 | 46 | 32nd |
| Roehampton North East | 806 | 71 | 16th |
| Roehampton North West | 526 | 74 | 15th |
| Roehampton South & Putney Vale | 854 | 102 | Sixth |
| Southfields North | 713 | 74 | 14th |
| Springfield | 944 | 95 | Seventh |
| St Mary's & Cotton Row | 799 | 70 | 18th |
| Summerstown | 354 | 45 | 34th |
| Tooting Bec Common | 455 | 46 | 33rd |
| Tooting Bec East | 425 | 70 | 19th |
| Tooting Bec West | 486 | 76 | 13th |
| Tooting East | 1,444 | 129 | First |
| Tooting North | 384 | 59 | 23rd |
| Tooting West | 675 | 81 | 12th |
| Upper Tooting | 298 | 48 | 30th |
| Wandsworth Common | 413 | 48 | 29th |
| Wandsworth South | 969 | 113 | Fourth |
| West Hill North | 346 | 47 | 31st |
| West Hill South | 317 | 42 | 37th |
| York Gardens | 670 | 89 | Eighth |
Wandsworth Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Wandsworth for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Nightingale Lane (176) | York Gardens (576) |
| Bicycle Theft | Tooting North (7) | Putney Town & Wandsworth Park (102) |
| Burglary | Summerstown (23) | St Mary's & Cotton Row (141) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | East Putney (17) | Putney Town & Wandsworth Park (100) |
| Drugs | Clapham Common West (10) | York Gardens (105) |
| Other Crime | Clapham Common West (1) | Earlsfield South (33) |
| Other Theft | Putney West (23) | Tooting East (197) |
| Possession of Weapons | East Putney (1) | Clapham Junction & East Hill (11) |
| Public Order | Putney West (12) | Clapham Junction & East Hill (147) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Merton Road (5) | Tooting East (68) |
| Shoplifting | Putney Embankment & Lower Common (2) | Tooting East (168) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | St Mary's & Cotton Row (1) | Tooting East (127) |
| Vehicle Crime | York Gardens (49) | Southfields North (187) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Nightingale Lane (72) | Roehampton South & Putney Vale (322) |
Crime in Wandsworth During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Wandsworth change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in April, when Wandsworth saw a 257% increase in anti-social behaviour. Wandsworth saw a large fall in possession of weapons during June, when it fell by 81% compared to June in 2019. Rates of other theft and theft from the person both fell year-on-year for every month during Wandsworth's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +28% | +257% | +248% | +149% | +55% | +56% | +90% | +89% | +151% | +126% |
| Bicycle Theft | -47% | -51% | -7% | +57% | +95% | +133% | +234% | +58% | +25% | +11% |
| Burglary | -20% | -27% | -21% | -33% | -11% | -19% | -11% | -11% | -19% | -5% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -24% | -29% | -25% | -12% | -5% | +48% | +30% | +28% | +6% | +13% |
| Drugs | +26% | +81% | +121% | +34% | -13% | -14% | +74% | +29% | +83% | +65% |
| Other Crime | -33% | +5% | +56% | +13% | +50% | +28% | +18% | +14% | -4% | -10% |
| Other Theft | -23% | -60% | -51% | -30% | -25% | -2% | +10% | -24% | -38% | -22% |
| Possession of Weapons | -24% | +11% | +50% | -81% | -33% | +71% | -31% | -20% | -31% | +8% |
| Public Order | -23% | -26% | -20% | +31% | +14% | +8% | +41% | -14% | -1% | -8% |
| Robbery | -6% | -47% | -46% | +10% | +37% | +37% | -22% | -27% | +1% | -37% |
| Shoplifting | -20% | -42% | -47% | -60% | -14% | -29% | -31% | -14% | -30% | -10% |
| Theft From the Person | -33% | -73% | -64% | -68% | -33% | -19% | +29% | -9% | -3% | -16% |
| Vehicle Crime | -10% | -47% | +0% | +9% | -13% | +19% | +13% | -25% | -29% | -25% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -11% | -21% | -12% | -6% | +11% | +22% | +24% | -2% | +13% | +2% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Wandsworth
What police force serves Wandsworth?
Wandsworth's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Wandsworth?
Wandsworth is among the top 10 safest cities in London.What is Wandsworth's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Wandsworth are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Wandsworth?
Wandsworth's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 07 May 2021