Westminster Crime Overview
Westminster is the most dangerous city in London, and is the second most dangerous overall out of London's 33 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Westminster in 2020 was 184 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 53% higher than the London rate of 87 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Westminster is the most dangerous city, and the 82nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Westminster had the worst crime rate in London for other theft, with 621 crimes reported and a crime rate of 2.4 per 1,000 inhabitants. September 2020 was also a bad month for Westminster residents, when it was London's most dangerous area for burglary, recording 282 crimes at a rate of 1.1 per 1,000 residents. Westminster recorded 204 reports of drugs during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.78 the worst for drugs in London that month.
The most common crime in Westminster is other theft, with 9,576 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 37. This is 135% lower than 2019's figure of 22,523 offences and a difference of 49.54 from 2019's crime rate of 86. Westminster's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 276 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 72% from 2019's figure of 474 crimes.
Compare Westminster to other towns and cities
See how Westminster shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Westminster and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Westminster Crime Map
Crime in Westminster Compared To London
Summary of Crimes in Westminster This Year
| Westminster | London | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 19,985 | 76.48 | 416,486 | 46.52 | 39% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 1,515 | 5.80 | 24,355 | 2.72 | 53% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 3,023 | 11.57 | 61,090 | 6.82 | 41% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 2,056 | 7.87 | 51,728 | 5.78 | 27% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 3,091 | 11.83 | 52,789 | 5.90 | 50% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 328 | 1.26 | 10,337 | 1.15 | 9% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 9,576 | 36.65 | 84,210 | 9.41 | 74% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 276 | 1.06 | 6,014 | 0.67 | 37% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 3,233 | 12.37 | 56,368 | 6.30 | 49% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 2,137 | 8.18 | 27,544 | 3.08 | 62% more dangerous |
| Shoplifting | 2,692 | 10.30 | 35,659 | 3.98 | 61% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 7,414 | 28.37 | 35,117 | 3.92 | 86% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 3,690 | 14.12 | 107,687 | 12.03 | 15% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 9,151 | 35.02 | 229,978 | 25.69 | 27% more dangerous |
Westminster Compared to Nearby Cities
| City | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 18,574 | 100.32 | 84% safer |
| Haringey | 28,144 | 104.76 | 76% safer |
| Islington | 25,583 | 105.51 | 75% safer |
| Hackney | 29,840 | 106.15 | 74% safer |
| Camden | 30,853 | 114.26 | 61% safer |
| Westminster | 48,182 | 184.38 | - |
Crime Over Time in Westminster
View crime percentage over time forWestminster Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 52 | 54 | 59 | 76 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 4.7 | 5.0 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Burglary | 13 | 17 | 17 | 12 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 8 | 7 | 12 | 12 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 49 | 62 | 86 | 37 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Public Order | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 9 | 12 | 16 | 8 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 18 | 19 | 17 | 10 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 34 | 46 | 70 | 28 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 17 | 16 | 16 | 14 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 39 | 45 | 46 | 35 | Safer |
Changes In Westminster's Crime Rates Over Time
Offences in Westminster's Green Spaces
We only display green spaces in Westminster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyde Park | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 0.05 |
| Paddington Recreation Ground | 40 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 8 |
| St James's Park | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | 6 | 18 | 1.4 |
| Victoria Embankment Gardens | - | 4 | 8 | - | 18 | 29 | 15 |
Comparing Westminster to the UK's Major Cities
Crime in Westminster's Neighbourhoods
Strand, St James & Mayfair is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Westminster, followed by Fitzrovia West & Soho in second place, and Marylebone & Park Lane as the third most dangerous area. Westminster's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Abbey Road, Little Venice, and St John's Wood South.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Road | 638 | 56 | 23rd |
| Bayswater East | 1,154 | 108 | 11th |
| Bryanston & Dorset Square | 1,645 | 165 | Sixth |
| Central Westminster | 2,474 | 233 | Fourth |
| Church Street | 1,475 | 92 | 13th |
| Fitzrovia West & Soho | 11,897 | 1052 | Second |
| Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Hyde Park | 1,681 | 143 | Eighth |
| Little Venice | 681 | 60 | 22nd |
| Maida Hill | 1,130 | 83 | 17th |
| Maida Vale | 652 | 69 | 18th |
| Marylebone & Park Lane | 2,805 | 247 | Third |
| Millbank | 754 | 69 | 19th |
| Paddington & St George's Fields | 1,948 | 185 | Fifth |
| Pimlico North | 903 | 87 | 14th |
| Pimlico South | 634 | 64 | 20th |
| Queen's Park Gardens | 939 | 85 | 15th |
| Queensway | 1,625 | 141 | Ninth |
| Regent's Park | 1,222 | 116 | Tenth |
| St John's Wood North | 537 | 62 | 21st |
| St John's Wood South | 418 | 39 | 24th |
| Strand, St James & Mayfair | 9,577 | 1272 | First |
| Victoria | 1,474 | 159 | Seventh |
| Westbourne | 1,013 | 93 | 12th |
| Westbourne Grove | 982 | 84 | 16th |
Westminster Neighbourhood Crime Breakdown
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Westminster for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | St John's Wood South (320) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (2,318) |
| Bicycle Theft | St John's Wood South (12) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (229) |
| Burglary | St John's Wood South (37) | Fitzrovia West & Soho (550) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | St John's Wood South (16) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (346) |
| Drugs | St John's Wood North (19) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (703) |
| Other Crime | Little Venice (3) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (38) |
| Other Theft | Abbey Road (47) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (2,227) |
| Possession of Weapons | Millbank (2) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (46) |
| Public Order | St John's Wood South (17) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (572) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Millbank (17) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (430) |
| Shoplifting | St John's Wood South (3) | Fitzrovia West & Soho (969) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Queen's Park Gardens (9) | Fitzrovia West & Soho (3,267) |
| Vehicle Crime | Millbank (46) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (622) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | St John's Wood South (124) | Strand, St James & Mayfair (1,386) |
Crime in Westminster During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Westminster change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in August, when Westminster saw a 81% increase in vehicle crime. Westminster saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 97% compared to May in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +3% | +71% | +62% | +30% | +11% | +15% | +34% | +40% | +52% | +49% |
| Bicycle Theft | -22% | -62% | -36% | +40% | +32% | +3% | +53% | +4% | +71% | +1% |
| Burglary | -7% | -61% | -53% | -42% | -35% | -41% | -32% | -45% | -57% | -34% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -21% | -56% | -42% | +13% | -6% | +20% | +21% | -26% | +9% | +23% |
| Drugs | -23% | +3% | +74% | -1% | +27% | -45% | -15% | -5% | -23% | -29% |
| Other Crime | +23% | -17% | +35% | +4% | -31% | +10% | +7% | -40% | +17% | -16% |
| Other Theft | -47% | -94% | -91% | -85% | -59% | -41% | -40% | -53% | -76% | -69% |
| Possession of Weapons | -51% | -55% | -41% | -57% | -54% | -45% | -55% | -39% | -31% | -58% |
| Public Order | -9% | -45% | -36% | -17% | +4% | -2% | +1% | -9% | -12% | -1% |
| Robbery | -32% | -87% | -90% | -77% | -65% | -31% | -30% | -53% | -56% | -67% |
| Shoplifting | -42% | -75% | -84% | -63% | -36% | -30% | -14% | -30% | -56% | -40% |
| Theft From the Person | -50% | -96% | -97% | -91% | -74% | -53% | -41% | -61% | -78% | -69% |
| Vehicle Crime | -29% | -67% | -54% | -40% | +27% | +81% | +54% | -12% | -34% | -25% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -18% | -50% | -35% | -34% | -18% | -23% | -9% | -22% | -34% | -33% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Westminster
What police force serves Westminster?
Westminster's local territorial police force is the Metropolitan Police Service.How dangerous is Westminster?
Westminster is the most dangerous city in London.What is Westminster's most common crime?
The most common crime in Westminster is other theft.What is the least common crime in Westminster?
Westminster's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 07 May 2021