Crime in Bethnal Green East: statistics, rates and trends
4,281 crimes were recorded in Bethnal Green East in the 12 months to August 2026, 170.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bethnal Green East at a glance
- Crime trends in Bethnal Green East
- Types of crime in Bethnal Green East
- Bethnal Green East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bethnal Green East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bethnal Green East
- Demographics of Bethnal Green East
- Questions about crime in Bethnal Green East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,290), anti-social behaviour (651) and shoplifting (575) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 302nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Bethnal Green East | Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,281 | 48,202 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 170.5 | 145.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 25,105 | 331,886 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bethnal Green East peaked in the year to August 2020 (4,559 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (3,621). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,281 | 170.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,469 | 178.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,223 | 168.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,219 | 168.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,150 | 165.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,486 | 178.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,559 | 181.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,214 | 167.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,621 | 144.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 415 |
| July 2026 | 414 |
| June 2026 | 401 |
| May 2026 | 443 |
| April 2026 | 349 |
| March 2026 | 314 |
| February 2026 | 280 |
| January 2026 | 277 |
| December 2025 | 331 |
| November 2025 | 362 |
| October 2025 | 333 |
| September 2025 | 362 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bethnal Green East recorded notably more theft from the person (7.2 times the national rate), bicycle theft (3.5 times the national rate) and robbery (3.0 times the national rate), and notably less other crime (25% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 423 to 575 and possession of weapons rose from 24 to 28, while bicycle theft fell from 129 to 73 and anti-social behaviour fell from 853 to 651.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,290 | 51.4 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 651 | 25.9 | 15.4 | -24% |
| Shoplifting | 575 | 22.9 | 8.5 | +36% |
| Public order | 306 | 12.2 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Theft from the person | 303 | 12.1 | 1.7 | +7% |
| Other theft | 284 | 11.3 | 6.4 | -18% |
| Drugs | 205 | 8.2 | 3.3 | +15% |
| Burglary | 156 | 6.2 | 3.6 | -7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 136 | 5.4 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 130 | 5.2 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Robbery | 104 | 4.1 | 1.4 | -16% |
| Bicycle theft | 73 | 2.9 | 0.8 | -43% |
| Other crime | 40 | 1.6 | 2.1 | -18% |
| Possession of weapons | 28 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +17% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bethnal Green East; the highest is Spitalfields & Banglatown (247.5 per 1,000) and the lowest St Dunstan's (111.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bethnal Green East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethnal Green West | 3,307 | 169.4 | -1% |
| St Dunstan's | 1,520 | 111.8 | -34% |
| Bow West | 1,938 | 135.5 | -21% |
| Stepney Green | 1,854 | 133.3 | -22% |
| Weavers | 2,618 | 183.5 | +8% |
| Shadwell | 1,917 | 129.3 | -24% |
| Mile End | 3,537 | 142.0 | -17% |
| Spitalfields & Banglatown | 3,373 | 247.5 | +45% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Bethnal Green East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (479).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 479 |
| On or near Stepney Green | 342 |
| On or near Hospital | 307 |
| On or near Supermarket | 283 |
| On or near Police Station | 272 |
| On or near Palmers Road | 132 |
| On or near Maples Place | 123 |
| On or near Whitechapel | 112 |
| On or near Ernest Street | 111 |
| On or near Toby Lane | 103 |
Of the 3,630 crimes in Bethnal Green East with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 651 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,580 | 43.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 856 | 23.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 460 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 286 | 7.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 214 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 101 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 70 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 10 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Bethnal Green East has an estimated population of 25,105 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (64%, against 23%), more students (20.1%, against 7.9%) and more social housing (43%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bethnal Green East average decile 3.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bethnal Green East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 6.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 6.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 20.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 44.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 63.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 24.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 42.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 5.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Bethnal Green East a safe place to live?
Bethnal Green East recorded 170.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 302nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were theft from the person and bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Bethnal Green East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,290 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (651).
Is crime in Bethnal Green East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bethnal Green East was down 4% on the year before: 4,281 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,469 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bethnal Green East?
About 25,105 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 6.2% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bethnal Green East?
Bethnal Green East 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.