Crime in Catford South: statistics, rates and trends
2,137 crimes were recorded in Catford South in the 12 months to August 2026, 123.0 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 18% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Catford South at a glance
- Crime trends in Catford South
- Types of crime in Catford South
- Catford South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Catford South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Catford South
- Demographics of Catford South
- Questions about crime in Catford South
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (586), violence and sexual offences (521) and anti-social behaviour (356) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 784th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Catford South | Lewisham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,137 | 36,926 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 123.0 | 122.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +18% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 17,368 | 301,255 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Catford South peaked in the year to August 2024 (2,148 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (1,605). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 33%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,137 | 123.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,808 | 104.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,148 | 123.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,664 | 95.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,700 | 97.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,925 | 110.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,835 | 105.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,605 | 92.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,607 | 92.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 178 |
| July 2026 | 204 |
| June 2026 | 205 |
| May 2026 | 215 |
| April 2026 | 178 |
| March 2026 | 206 |
| February 2026 | 203 |
| January 2026 | 171 |
| December 2025 | 160 |
| November 2025 | 109 |
| October 2025 | 165 |
| September 2025 | 143 |
Compared with England and Wales, Catford South recorded notably more shoplifting (4.0 times the national rate), vehicle crime (82% above the national rate) and robbery (48% above the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (40% below) and other crime (32% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 82 to 586 and theft from the person rose from 23 to 33, while criminal damage and arson fell from 128 to 70 and drugs fell from 103 to 65.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 586 | 33.7 | 8.5 | +615% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 521 | 30.0 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 356 | 20.5 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 157 | 9.0 | 5.0 | -24% |
| Other theft | 110 | 6.3 | 6.4 | -15% |
| Public order | 88 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Burglary | 76 | 4.4 | 3.6 | -1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 70 | 4.0 | 6.7 | -45% |
| Drugs | 65 | 3.7 | 3.3 | -37% |
| Robbery | 35 | 2.0 | 1.4 | +9% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 1.9 | 1.7 | +43% |
| Other crime | 25 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Catford South; the highest is Rushey Green (186.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Lee Green (84.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Catford South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hither Green | 1,942 | 97.3 | -21% |
| Rushey Green | 3,824 | 186.5 | +52% |
| Bellingham | 1,578 | 148.8 | +21% |
| Downham | 1,975 | 102.8 | -16% |
| Perry Vale | 1,740 | 90.2 | -27% |
| Lee Green | 1,235 | 84.1 | -32% |
| Crofton Park | 1,373 | 89.3 | -27% |
| Grove Park | 1,340 | 86.4 | -30% |
The 10 locations below account for 55% of the crime recorded in Catford South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Oldstead Road” (389).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oldstead Road | 389 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 215 |
| On or near Franthorne Way | 116 |
| On or near Supermarket | 110 |
| On or near Brownhill Road | 62 |
| On or near Hazelbank Road | 62 |
| On or near Aitken Road | 57 |
| On or near Sambruck Mews | 56 |
| On or near Bellingham Road | 55 |
| On or near Bromley Road | 55 |
Of the 1,781 crimes in Catford South with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 14% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 356 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 621 | 34.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 511 | 28.7% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 244 | 13.7% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 224 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 86 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 60 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 4 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Catford South has an estimated population of 17,368 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (33%, against 23%), fewer retired residents (15%, against 22%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (42%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Catford South average decile 4.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Catford South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 32.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Catford South a safe place to live?
Catford South recorded 123.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 784th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Catford South?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 586 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (521).
Is crime in Catford South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Catford South was up 18% on the year before: 2,137 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,808 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Catford South?
About 17,368 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Catford South?
Catford South 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.