Crime in Forest, Waltham Forest: statistics, rates and trends
1,637 crimes were recorded in Forest, Waltham Forest in the 12 months to August 2026, 95.6 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Forest, Waltham Forest at a glance
- Crime trends in Forest, Waltham Forest
- Types of crime in Forest, Waltham Forest
- Forest, Waltham Forest compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Forest, Waltham Forest
- What happened after crimes were reported in Forest, Waltham Forest
- Demographics of Forest, Waltham Forest
- Questions about crime in Forest, Waltham Forest
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (548), anti-social behaviour (326) and vehicle crime (156) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,354th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Forest, Waltham Forest | Waltham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,637 | 29,459 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 95.6 | 105.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 17,131 | 279,737 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Forest, Waltham Forest peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,131 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,618). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,637 | 95.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,697 | 99.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,791 | 104.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,618 | 94.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,801 | 105.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,997 | 116.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,131 | 124.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,914 | 111.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,725 | 100.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 109 |
| July 2026 | 147 |
| June 2026 | 129 |
| May 2026 | 113 |
| April 2026 | 147 |
| March 2026 | 153 |
| February 2026 | 105 |
| January 2026 | 140 |
| December 2025 | 162 |
| November 2025 | 149 |
| October 2025 | 142 |
| September 2025 | 141 |
Compared with England and Wales, Forest, Waltham Forest recorded notably more theft from the person (2.1 times the national rate), vehicle crime (83% above the national rate) and robbery (37% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (81% below) and other crime (42% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 455 to 548 and burglary rose from 45 to 54, while robbery fell from 74 to 32 and criminal damage and arson fell from 100 to 70.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 548 | 32.0 | 34.2 | +20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 326 | 19.0 | 15.4 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 156 | 9.1 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Other theft | 142 | 8.3 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Public order | 103 | 6.0 | 6.7 | +16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 70 | 4.1 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Drugs | 70 | 4.1 | 3.3 | -10% |
| Theft from the person | 61 | 3.6 | 1.7 | -19% |
| Burglary | 54 | 3.2 | 3.6 | +20% |
| Robbery | 32 | 1.9 | 1.4 | -57% |
| Shoplifting | 28 | 1.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 21 | 1.2 | 2.1 | -25% |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 0.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Forest, Waltham Forest; the highest is High Street, Waltham Forest (234.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Markhouse (77.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Forest, Waltham Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leytonstone | 2,573 | 212.8 | +123% |
| Grove Green | 1,227 | 84.3 | -12% |
| Wood Street | 1,168 | 106.6 | +12% |
| Hoe Street | 1,674 | 117.7 | +23% |
| Markhouse | 613 | 77.3 | -19% |
| Leyton | 1,597 | 123.5 | +29% |
| Lea Bridge | 2,435 | 139.4 | +46% |
| High Street | 2,531 | 234.2 | +145% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Forest, Waltham Forest over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (224).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 224 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 92 |
| On or near Meadowcroft Close | 88 |
| On or near A112 | 61 |
| On or near Poplars Road | 60 |
| On or near Forest Road | 53 |
| On or near Dyson Road | 42 |
| On or near Greg Close | 35 |
| On or near St Heliers Road | 35 |
| On or near Vicarage Road | 31 |
Of the 1,311 crimes in Forest, Waltham Forest with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 326 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 511 | 39.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 361 | 27.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 188 | 14.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 126 | 9.6% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 50 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 28 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 6 | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Forest, Waltham Forest has an estimated population of 17,131 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (44%, against 23%), fewer retired residents (11%, against 22%) and a younger population (10%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Forest, Waltham Forest average decile 3.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Forest, Waltham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 43.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 23.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Forest, Waltham Forest a safe place to live?
Forest, Waltham Forest recorded 95.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,354th 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 vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Forest, Waltham Forest?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 548 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (326).
Is crime in Forest, Waltham Forest going up or down?
Recorded crime in Forest, Waltham Forest was down 4% on the year before: 1,637 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,697 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Forest, Waltham Forest?
About 17,131 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 10% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Forest, Waltham Forest?
Forest, Waltham Forest 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.