Crime in Crayford: statistics, rates and trends
1,479 crimes were recorded in Crayford in the 12 months to August 2026, 87.5 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (399), anti-social behaviour (309) and criminal damage and arson (166) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,584th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Crayford | Bexley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,479 | 20,080 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 87.5 | 78.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,898 | 256,434 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Crayford of any year here (1,479 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,479 | 87.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,585 | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,661 | 98.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,665 | 98.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,719 | 101.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,790 | 105.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,975 | 116.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,953 | 115.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,717 | 101.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 114 |
| July 2026 | 132 |
| June 2026 | 122 |
| May 2026 | 135 |
| April 2026 | 119 |
| March 2026 | 115 |
| February 2026 | 111 |
| January 2026 | 121 |
| December 2025 | 143 |
| November 2025 | 130 |
| October 2025 | 113 |
| September 2025 | 124 |
Compared with England and Wales, Crayford recorded notably more robbery (78% above the national rate), criminal damage and arson (46% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (35% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (33% below) and violence and sexual offences (31% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 52 to 65, while criminal damage and arson fell from 287 to 166 and public order fell from 108 to 83.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 399 | 23.6 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 309 | 18.3 | 15.4 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 166 | 9.8 | 6.7 | -42% |
| Shoplifting | 127 | 7.5 | 8.5 | +13% |
| Vehicle crime | 113 | 6.7 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Other theft | 101 | 6.0 | 6.4 | +6% |
| Public order | 83 | 4.9 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Drugs | 65 | 3.8 | 3.3 | +25% |
| Robbery | 41 | 2.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 40 | 2.4 | 3.6 | +8% |
| Other crime | 15 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 12 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Crayford; the highest is Bexleyheath (148.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Barnehurst (45.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Crayford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnehurst | 452 | 45.7 | -48% |
| Slade Green & Northend | 1,459 | 98.8 | +13% |
| Bexleyheath | 2,437 | 148.1 | +69% |
| Northumberland Heath | 827 | 72.3 | -17% |
| Erith | 2,006 | 118.3 | +35% |
| St Mary's & St James | 805 | 66.9 | -24% |
| Crook Log | 1,191 | 67.9 | -22% |
| West Heath | 695 | 48.3 | -45% |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in Crayford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (201).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 201 |
| On or near Supermarket | 187 |
| On or near Mill Place | 110 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 58 |
| On or near Maiden Lane | 28 |
| On or near Crayford High Street | 27 |
| On or near Russell Close | 25 |
| On or near Waterside | 25 |
| On or near Wolsley Close | 25 |
| On or near Station Road | 22 |
Of the 1,170 crimes in Crayford with a recorded outcome, 48% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 309 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 556 | 47.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 374 | 32.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 117 | 10.0% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 44 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 43 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 18 | 1.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
Crayford has an estimated population of 16,898 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (15%, against 20%), more social housing (21%, against 17%) and a younger population (15%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Crayford average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Crayford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Crayford a safe place to live?
Crayford recorded 87.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,584th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and criminal damage and arson.
What is the most common crime in Crayford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 399 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (309).
Is crime in Crayford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Crayford was down 7% on the year before: 1,479 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,585 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Crayford?
About 16,898 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Crayford?
Crayford 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.