Crime in Bow West: statistics, rates and trends
1,938 crimes were recorded in Bow West in the 12 months to August 2026, 135.5 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
Violence and sexual offences (454), anti-social behaviour (313) and shoplifting (251) made up 53% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 601st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Bow West | Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,938 | 48,202 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 135.5 | 145.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 14,306 | 331,886 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bow West peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,621 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,889). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,938 | 135.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,924 | 134.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,054 | 143.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,889 | 132.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,014 | 140.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,397 | 167.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,621 | 183.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,471 | 172.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,298 | 160.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 223 |
| July 2026 | 207 |
| June 2026 | 172 |
| May 2026 | 211 |
| April 2026 | 152 |
| March 2026 | 148 |
| February 2026 | 125 |
| January 2026 | 135 |
| December 2025 | 153 |
| November 2025 | 144 |
| October 2025 | 143 |
| September 2025 | 125 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bow West recorded notably more bicycle theft (6.3 times the national rate), theft from the person (5.6 times the national rate) and robbery (3.7 times the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (60% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 77 to 113 and bicycle theft rose from 53 to 74, while criminal damage and arson fell from 95 to 39 and drugs fell from 149 to 100.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 454 | 31.7 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 313 | 21.9 | 15.4 | -16% |
| Shoplifting | 251 | 17.5 | 8.5 | +38% |
| Other theft | 136 | 9.5 | 6.4 | +6% |
| Theft from the person | 135 | 9.4 | 1.7 | -1% |
| Public order | 119 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Burglary | 113 | 7.9 | 3.6 | +47% |
| Vehicle crime | 106 | 7.4 | 5.0 | +18% |
| Drugs | 100 | 7.0 | 3.3 | -33% |
| Bicycle theft | 74 | 5.2 | 0.8 | +40% |
| Robbery | 72 | 5.0 | 1.4 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 39 | 2.7 | 6.7 | -59% |
| Other crime | 19 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bow West; 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 West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bow East | 2,776 | 133.4 | -2% |
| Bethnal Green East | 4,281 | 170.5 | +26% |
| Bromley North | 1,937 | 152.5 | +13% |
| St Dunstan's | 1,520 | 111.8 | -17% |
| Bromley South | 1,470 | 103.9 | -23% |
| Mile End | 3,537 | 142.0 | +5% |
| Bethnal Green West | 3,307 | 169.4 | +25% |
| Stepney Green | 1,854 | 133.3 | -2% |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Bow West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Rhondda Grove” (161).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Rhondda Grove | 161 |
| On or near Supermarket | 139 |
| On or near St Clements Avenue | 99 |
| On or near Old Ford Road | 86 |
| On or near Bow Road | 76 |
| On or near Harley Grove | 73 |
| On or near Grove Road | 68 |
| On or near Parking Area | 64 |
| On or near Alfred Street | 53 |
| On or near Balmer Road | 48 |
Of the 1,625 crimes in Bow West with a recorded outcome, 51% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 313 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 823 | 50.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 348 | 21.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 200 | 12.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 97 | 6.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 78 | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 44 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 4 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Bow West has an estimated population of 14,306 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (58%, against 23%), more social housing (36%, against 17%) and fewer retired residents (8.8%, against 21.6%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bow West average decile 3.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Bow West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 52.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 57.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 33.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 35.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 30.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bow West a safe place to live?
Bow West recorded 135.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 601st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and theft from the person.
What is the most common crime in Bow West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 454 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (313).
Is crime in Bow West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bow West was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,938 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,924 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bow West?
About 14,306 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.6% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bow West?
Bow West 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.