Crime in Clerkenwell: statistics, rates and trends
2,957 crimes were recorded in Clerkenwell in the 12 months to August 2026, 249.2 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 Clerkenwell at a glance
- Crime trends in Clerkenwell
- Types of crime in Clerkenwell
- Clerkenwell compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Clerkenwell
- What happened after crimes were reported in Clerkenwell
- Demographics of Clerkenwell
- Questions about crime in Clerkenwell
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (553), shoplifting (540) and other theft (472) made up 53% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 122nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Clerkenwell | Islington | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,957 | 41,297 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 249.2 | 185.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 11,868 | 223,024 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Clerkenwell of any year here (2,957 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,957 | 249.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,930 | 246.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,777 | 234.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,502 | 210.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,352 | 198.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,046 | 172.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,523 | 212.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,623 | 221.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,718 | 229.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 398 |
| July 2026 | 302 |
| June 2026 | 238 |
| May 2026 | 228 |
| April 2026 | 240 |
| March 2026 | 230 |
| February 2026 | 222 |
| January 2026 | 196 |
| December 2025 | 236 |
| November 2025 | 263 |
| October 2025 | 206 |
| September 2025 | 198 |
Compared with England and Wales, Clerkenwell recorded notably more theft from the person (21.0 times the national rate), other theft (6.2 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (6.1 times the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (44% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 122 to 540, while criminal damage and arson fell from 106 to 45 and anti-social behaviour fell from 535 to 365.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 553 | 46.6 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 540 | 45.5 | 8.5 | +343% |
| Other theft | 472 | 39.8 | 6.4 | +9% |
| Theft from the person | 419 | 35.3 | 1.7 | -27% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 365 | 30.8 | 15.4 | -32% |
| Burglary | 110 | 9.3 | 3.6 | -18% |
| Drugs | 106 | 8.9 | 3.3 | +6% |
| Public order | 98 | 8.3 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Robbery | 87 | 7.3 | 1.4 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 65 | 5.5 | 5.0 | -12% |
| Bicycle theft | 60 | 5.1 | 0.8 | +11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 45 | 3.8 | 6.7 | -58% |
| Other crime | 26 | 2.2 | 2.1 | -4% |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Clerkenwell; the highest is Bunhill (298.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Canonbury (112.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Clerkenwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Peter's & Canalside | 2,158 | 154.2 | -38% |
| Bunhill | 3,530 | 298.5 | +20% |
| Caledonian | 3,015 | 252.4 | +1% |
| Barnsbury | 2,332 | 206.8 | -17% |
| St Mary's & St James' | 2,549 | 219.3 | -12% |
| Laycock | 3,095 | 180.8 | -27% |
| Canonbury | 1,296 | 112.8 | -55% |
| Holloway | 1,918 | 176.8 | -29% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Clerkenwell over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Lloyd'S Row” (351).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Lloyd'S Row | 351 |
| On or near Charterhouse Street | 238 |
| On or near Benjamin Street | 178 |
| On or near Greenhill Rents | 129 |
| On or near Rosebery Avenue | 88 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 69 |
| On or near Attneave Street | 63 |
| On or near Parking Area | 63 |
| On or near Pine Street | 60 |
| On or near Clerkenwell Green | 56 |
Of the 2,592 crimes in Clerkenwell with a recorded outcome, 62% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 365 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,610 | 62.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 471 | 18.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 230 | 8.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 109 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 100 | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 20 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 5 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Clerkenwell has an estimated population of 11,868 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (72%, against 23%), more social housing (43%, against 17%) and more students (19.2%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Clerkenwell average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Clerkenwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 12.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 19.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 54.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 71.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 26.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 43.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 30.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Clerkenwell a safe place to live?
Clerkenwell recorded 249.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 122nd 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 other theft.
What is the most common crime in Clerkenwell?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 553 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (540).
Is crime in Clerkenwell going up or down?
Recorded crime in Clerkenwell was almost unchanged on the year before: 2,957 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,930 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Clerkenwell?
About 11,868 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Clerkenwell?
Clerkenwell 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.