Crime in Bexleyheath: statistics, rates and trends
2,437 crimes were recorded in Bexleyheath in the 12 months to August 2026, 148.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bexleyheath at a glance
- Crime trends in Bexleyheath
- Types of crime in Bexleyheath
- Bexleyheath compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bexleyheath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bexleyheath
- Demographics of Bexleyheath
- Questions about crime in Bexleyheath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (675), anti-social behaviour (542) and shoplifting (287) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 449th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bexleyheath | Bexley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,437 | 20,080 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 148.1 | 78.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,459 | 256,434 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Bexleyheath of any year here (2,437 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,437 | 148.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,435 | 147.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,391 | 145.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,238 | 136.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,304 | 140.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,906 | 115.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,003 | 121.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,177 | 132.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,114 | 128.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 209 |
| July 2026 | 274 |
| June 2026 | 205 |
| May 2026 | 213 |
| April 2026 | 181 |
| March 2026 | 187 |
| February 2026 | 193 |
| January 2026 | 171 |
| December 2025 | 225 |
| November 2025 | 187 |
| October 2025 | 204 |
| September 2025 | 188 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bexleyheath recorded notably more robbery (2.8 times the national rate), drugs (2.6 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (2.1 times the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 407 to 542 and burglary rose from 55 to 66, while theft from the person fell from 105 to 59 and criminal damage and arson fell from 139 to 107.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 675 | 41.0 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 542 | 32.9 | 15.4 | +33% |
| Shoplifting | 287 | 17.4 | 8.5 | +3% |
| Public order | 216 | 13.1 | 6.7 | +7% |
| Drugs | 139 | 8.4 | 3.3 | -20% |
| Other theft | 134 | 8.1 | 6.4 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 107 | 6.5 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Vehicle crime | 100 | 6.1 | 5.0 | -14% |
| Burglary | 66 | 4.0 | 3.6 | +20% |
| Robbery | 63 | 3.8 | 1.4 | +5% |
| Theft from the person | 59 | 3.6 | 1.7 | -44% |
| Other crime | 29 | 1.8 | 2.1 | -12% |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Bexleyheath has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bexleyheath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crook Log | 1,191 | 67.9 | -54% |
| Barnehurst | 452 | 45.7 | -69% |
| Northumberland Heath | 827 | 72.3 | -51% |
| Crayford | 1,479 | 87.5 | -41% |
| West Heath | 695 | 48.3 | -67% |
| Blendon & Penhill | 725 | 46.9 | -68% |
| Erith | 2,006 | 118.3 | -20% |
| St Mary's & St James | 805 | 66.9 | -55% |
The 10 locations below account for 62% of the crime recorded in Bexleyheath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (405).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 405 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 285 |
| On or near Supermarket | 222 |
| On or near Police Station | 212 |
| On or near Royal Oak Road | 87 |
| On or near Broadway | 71 |
| On or near Market Place | 68 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 64 |
| On or near Watling Street | 50 |
| On or near Nightclub | 48 |
Of the 1,895 crimes in Bexleyheath with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 542 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 663 | 35.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 520 | 27.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 254 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 139 | 7.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 127 | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 81 | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 75 | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 8 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Bexleyheath has an estimated population of 16,459 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.9%, against 17.1%), fewer students (5.2%, against 7.9%) and more home ownership (78%, against 63%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bexleyheath average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Bexleyheath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 31.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 77.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bexleyheath a safe place to live?
Bexleyheath recorded 148.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 449th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Bexleyheath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 675 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (542).
Is crime in Bexleyheath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bexleyheath was almost unchanged on the year before: 2,437 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,435 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bexleyheath?
About 16,459 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bexleyheath?
Bexleyheath 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.