Crime in Bow East: statistics, rates and trends
2,776 crimes were recorded in Bow East in the 12 months to August 2026, 133.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (651), anti-social behaviour (571) and theft from the person (289) made up 54% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 617th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bow East | Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,776 | 48,202 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 133.4 | 145.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 20,814 | 331,886 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bow East peaked in the year to August 2020 (3,169 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (2,456). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,776 | 133.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,635 | 126.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,604 | 125.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,461 | 118.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,813 | 135.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,993 | 143.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,169 | 152.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,456 | 118.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,535 | 121.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 250 |
| July 2026 | 271 |
| June 2026 | 249 |
| May 2026 | 271 |
| April 2026 | 248 |
| March 2026 | 204 |
| February 2026 | 177 |
| January 2026 | 193 |
| December 2025 | 215 |
| November 2025 | 243 |
| October 2025 | 225 |
| September 2025 | 230 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bow East recorded notably more theft from the person (8.3 times the national rate), bicycle theft (4.2 times the national rate) and robbery (3.3 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (64% below) and criminal damage and arson (33% below). On the year before, theft from the person rose from 178 to 289 and robbery rose from 63 to 93, while criminal damage and arson fell from 131 to 94.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 651 | 31.3 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 571 | 27.4 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Theft from the person | 289 | 13.9 | 1.7 | +62% |
| Other theft | 231 | 11.1 | 6.4 | +16% |
| Burglary | 175 | 8.4 | 3.6 | +29% |
| Drugs | 164 | 7.9 | 3.3 | +9% |
| Public order | 164 | 7.9 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 148 | 7.1 | 5.0 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 94 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -28% |
| Robbery | 93 | 4.5 | 1.4 | +48% |
| Bicycle theft | 72 | 3.5 | 0.8 | +18% |
| Shoplifting | 64 | 3.1 | 8.5 | -2% |
| Other crime | 41 | 2.0 | 2.1 | +32% |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bow East; the highest is Bethnal Green East (170.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Bromley South (103.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bow East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bow West | 1,938 | 135.5 | +2% |
| Bromley North | 1,937 | 152.5 | +14% |
| Bromley South | 1,470 | 103.9 | -22% |
| Bethnal Green East | 4,281 | 170.5 | +28% |
| Mile End | 3,537 | 142.0 | +6% |
| St Dunstan's | 1,520 | 111.8 | -16% |
| Lansbury | 3,136 | 137.9 | +3% |
| Bethnal Green West | 3,307 | 169.4 | +27% |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in Bow East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hackney Wick” (258).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hackney Wick | 258 |
| On or near Libra Road | 120 |
| On or near Payne Road | 88 |
| On or near Iceland Road | 77 |
| On or near Roach Road | 77 |
| On or near Wyke Road | 75 |
| On or near Usher Road | 68 |
| On or near Alameda Place | 67 |
| On or near High Street | 58 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 55 |
Of the 2,205 crimes in Bow East with a recorded outcome, 50% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 571 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,094 | 49.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 476 | 21.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 287 | 13.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 140 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 73 | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 68 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 22 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 9 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Bow East has an estimated population of 20,814 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (65%, against 23%), more social housing (36%, against 17%) and fewer retired residents (6.1%, against 21.6%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bow East average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bow East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 6.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 6.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 54.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 65.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 32.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 36.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bow East a safe place to live?
Bow East recorded 133.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 617th 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 Bow East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 651 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (571).
Is crime in Bow East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bow East was up 5% on the year before: 2,776 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,635 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bow East?
About 20,814 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 6.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bow East?
Bow 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.