Crime in Bellingham, Lewisham: statistics, rates and trends
1,578 crimes were recorded in Bellingham, Lewisham in the 12 months to August 2026, 148.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bellingham, Lewisham at a glance
- Crime trends in Bellingham, Lewisham
- Types of crime in Bellingham, Lewisham
- Bellingham, Lewisham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bellingham, Lewisham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bellingham, Lewisham
- Demographics of Bellingham, Lewisham
- Questions about crime in Bellingham, Lewisham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (520), anti-social behaviour (283) and shoplifting (136) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 446th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bellingham, Lewisham | Lewisham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,578 | 36,926 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 148.8 | 122.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 10,604 | 301,255 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bellingham, Lewisham peaked in the year to August 2023 (1,698 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (968). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 63%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,578 | 148.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,460 | 137.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,500 | 141.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,698 | 160.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,283 | 121.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,250 | 117.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,435 | 135.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,223 | 115.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 968 | 91.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 117 |
| July 2026 | 161 |
| June 2026 | 168 |
| May 2026 | 117 |
| April 2026 | 150 |
| March 2026 | 114 |
| February 2026 | 106 |
| January 2026 | 111 |
| December 2025 | 108 |
| November 2025 | 144 |
| October 2025 | 146 |
| September 2025 | 136 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bellingham, Lewisham recorded notably more robbery (2.9 times the national rate), vehicle crime (2.5 times the national rate) and possession of weapons (2.1 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 37 to 136 and robbery rose from 29 to 42, while vehicle crime fell from 187 to 133 and drugs fell from 100 to 73.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 520 | 49.0 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 283 | 26.7 | 15.4 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 136 | 12.8 | 8.5 | +268% |
| Vehicle crime | 133 | 12.5 | 5.0 | -29% |
| Public order | 107 | 10.1 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Other theft | 87 | 8.2 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 77 | 7.3 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Drugs | 73 | 6.9 | 3.3 | -27% |
| Burglary | 44 | 4.1 | 3.6 | +5% |
| Robbery | 42 | 4.0 | 1.4 | +45% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 3.1 | 1.7 | +22% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 2.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 1.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bellingham, Lewisham; the highest is Rushey Green (186.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Forest Hill (83.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bellingham, Lewisham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catford South | 2,137 | 123.0 | -17% |
| Perry Vale | 1,740 | 90.2 | -39% |
| Rushey Green | 3,824 | 186.5 | +25% |
| Sydenham | 1,939 | 118.8 | -20% |
| Downham | 1,975 | 102.8 | -31% |
| Hither Green | 1,942 | 97.3 | -35% |
| Crofton Park | 1,373 | 89.3 | -40% |
| Forest Hill | 1,268 | 83.6 | -44% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Bellingham, Lewisham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (232).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 232 |
| On or near Oslac Road | 80 |
| On or near Dunfield Road | 57 |
| On or near Worsley Bridge Road | 54 |
| On or near Marton Close | 52 |
| On or near Otterden Street | 52 |
| On or near Arnulf Street | 51 |
| On or near Playgreen Way | 51 |
| On or near Winchfield Road | 43 |
| On or near Stanton Way | 42 |
Of the 1,295 crimes in Bellingham, Lewisham with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 9.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 283 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 482 | 37.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 427 | 33.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 140 | 10.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 118 | 9.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 70 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 22 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Bellingham, Lewisham has an estimated population of 10,604 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (47%, against 17%), more households without a car (46%, against 23%) and more unemployed residents (6.2%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bellingham, Lewisham average decile 2.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bellingham, Lewisham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 45.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 31.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 46.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 15.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bellingham, Lewisham a safe place to live?
Bellingham, Lewisham recorded 148.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 446th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Bellingham, Lewisham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 520 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (283).
Is crime in Bellingham, Lewisham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bellingham, Lewisham was up 8% on the year before: 1,578 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,460 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bellingham, Lewisham?
About 10,604 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bellingham, Lewisham?
Bellingham, Lewisham is policed by Metropolitan Police.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.