Crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest: statistics, rates and trends
2,435 crimes were recorded in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest in the 12 months to August 2026, 139.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest at a glance
- Crime trends in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest
- Types of crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest
- Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest
- Demographics of Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest
- Questions about crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (590), violence and sexual offences (569) and other theft (255) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 542nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest | Waltham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,435 | 29,459 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 139.4 | 105.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 17,462 | 279,737 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,642 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (2,170). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,435 | 139.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,470 | 141.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,530 | 144.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,187 | 125.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,170 | 124.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,642 | 151.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,616 | 149.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,255 | 129.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,281 | 130.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 204 |
| July 2026 | 205 |
| June 2026 | 217 |
| May 2026 | 245 |
| April 2026 | 223 |
| March 2026 | 221 |
| February 2026 | 190 |
| January 2026 | 188 |
| December 2025 | 194 |
| November 2025 | 184 |
| October 2025 | 186 |
| September 2025 | 178 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest recorded notably more theft from the person (4.6 times the national rate), robbery (3.4 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (2.5 times the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (56% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 210 to 255 and anti-social behaviour rose from 511 to 590, while theft from the person fell from 233 to 134 and criminal damage and arson fell from 76 to 52.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 590 | 33.8 | 15.4 | +15% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 569 | 32.6 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Other theft | 255 | 14.6 | 6.4 | +21% |
| Vehicle crime | 187 | 10.7 | 5.0 | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 162 | 9.3 | 8.5 | +9% |
| Drugs | 139 | 8.0 | 3.3 | -30% |
| Theft from the person | 134 | 7.7 | 1.7 | -42% |
| Public order | 107 | 6.1 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Robbery | 81 | 4.6 | 1.4 | -23% |
| Burglary | 73 | 4.2 | 3.6 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 52 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Other crime | 38 | 2.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 36 | 2.1 | 0.8 | +9% |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Lea Bridge, 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 Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markhouse | 613 | 77.3 | -45% |
| Leyton | 1,597 | 123.5 | -11% |
| Forest | 1,637 | 95.6 | -31% |
| High Street | 2,531 | 234.2 | +68% |
| St James | 1,357 | 87.3 | -37% |
| Grove Green | 1,227 | 84.3 | -40% |
| Hoe Street | 1,674 | 117.7 | -16% |
| Wood Street | 1,168 | 106.6 | -24% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Lea Bridge Road” (261).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Lea Bridge Road | 261 |
| On or near Supermarket | 190 |
| On or near High Road | 140 |
| On or near Stanley Road | 129 |
| On or near Elm Park Road | 94 |
| On or near Parking Area | 80 |
| On or near Staffa Road | 68 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 63 |
| On or near Bickley Road | 51 |
| On or near Northumberland Road | 49 |
Of the 1,845 crimes in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest with a recorded outcome, 49% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 590 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 900 | 48.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 445 | 24.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 197 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 139 | 7.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 73 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 44 | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 14 | 0.8% | 0.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest has an estimated population of 17,462 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (50%, against 23%), more unemployed residents (6.1%, against 3.4%) and more private renting (35%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 50.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 48.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 35.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest a safe place to live?
Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest recorded 139.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 542nd 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 robbery.
What is the most common crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 590 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (569).
Is crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest was down 1% on the year before: 2,435 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,470 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest?
About 17,462 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 8.5% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lea Bridge, Waltham Forest?
Lea Bridge, 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.