Crime in Erith: statistics, rates and trends
2,006 crimes were recorded in Erith in the 12 months to August 2026, 118.3 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (641), anti-social behaviour (413) and vehicle crime (131) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 849th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Erith | Bexley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,006 | 20,080 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 118.3 | 78.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,952 | 256,434 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Erith peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,324 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (1,850). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 5%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,006 | 118.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,868 | 110.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,988 | 117.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,937 | 114.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,850 | 109.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,117 | 124.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,324 | 137.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,203 | 130.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,902 | 112.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 168 |
| July 2026 | 184 |
| June 2026 | 200 |
| May 2026 | 158 |
| April 2026 | 149 |
| March 2026 | 188 |
| February 2026 | 125 |
| January 2026 | 129 |
| December 2025 | 179 |
| November 2025 | 183 |
| October 2025 | 173 |
| September 2025 | 170 |
Compared with England and Wales, Erith recorded notably more robbery (2.8 times the national rate), drugs (2.3 times the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (59% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (29% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 24 to 64 and burglary rose from 54 to 80, while shoplifting fell from 224 to 102.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 641 | 37.8 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 413 | 24.4 | 15.4 | +39% |
| Vehicle crime | 131 | 7.7 | 5.0 | +5% |
| Drugs | 130 | 7.7 | 3.3 | +20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 127 | 7.5 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 121 | 7.1 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Public order | 115 | 6.8 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Shoplifting | 102 | 6.0 | 8.5 | -54% |
| Burglary | 80 | 4.7 | 3.6 | +48% |
| Robbery | 64 | 3.8 | 1.4 | +167% |
| Other crime | 29 | 1.7 | 2.1 | +16% |
| Theft from the person | 29 | 1.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Erith; the highest is Bexleyheath (148.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Barnehurst (45.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Erith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northumberland Heath | 827 | 72.3 | -39% |
| Slade Green & Northend | 1,459 | 98.8 | -16% |
| Barnehurst | 452 | 45.7 | -61% |
| Belvedere | 1,744 | 95.9 | -19% |
| Bexleyheath | 2,437 | 148.1 | +25% |
| West Heath | 695 | 48.3 | -59% |
| Crayford | 1,479 | 87.5 | -26% |
| Crook Log | 1,191 | 67.9 | -43% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Erith over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (106).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 106 |
| On or near Athol Road | 83 |
| On or near Parking Area | 77 |
| On or near St Francis' Road | 75 |
| On or near Supermarket | 70 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 64 |
| On or near Rutland Gate | 46 |
| On or near Furners Close | 42 |
| On or near Galleon Close | 41 |
| On or near Chandlers Drive | 40 |
Of the 1,593 crimes in Erith with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 413 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 613 | 38.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 584 | 36.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 154 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 99 | 6.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 48 | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 37 | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 29 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 5 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Erith has an estimated population of 16,952 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (28%, against 17%), a younger population (11%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Erith average decile 3.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Erith | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 31.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 28.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Erith a safe place to live?
Erith recorded 118.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 849th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Erith?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 641 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (413).
Is crime in Erith going up or down?
Recorded crime in Erith was up 7% on the year before: 2,006 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,868 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Erith?
About 16,952 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Erith?
Erith 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.