Crime in Lewisham Central: statistics, rates and trends
2,699 crimes were recorded in Lewisham Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 262.4 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 Lewisham Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Lewisham Central
- Types of crime in Lewisham Central
- Lewisham Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Lewisham Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lewisham Central
- Demographics of Lewisham Central
- Questions about crime in Lewisham Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (742), anti-social behaviour (395) and shoplifting (374) made up 56% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 109th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Lewisham Central | Lewisham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,699 | 36,926 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 262.4 | 122.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 10,287 | 301,255 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Lewisham Central peaked in the year to August 2025 (2,709 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (2,128). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,699 | 262.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,709 | 263.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,639 | 256.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,479 | 241.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,274 | 221.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,128 | 206.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,446 | 237.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,313 | 224.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,150 | 209.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 212 |
| July 2026 | 228 |
| June 2026 | 242 |
| May 2026 | 254 |
| April 2026 | 231 |
| March 2026 | 253 |
| February 2026 | 207 |
| January 2026 | 189 |
| December 2025 | 200 |
| November 2025 | 229 |
| October 2025 | 249 |
| September 2025 | 205 |
Compared with England and Wales, Lewisham Central recorded notably more theft from the person (10.7 times the national rate), robbery (6.8 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (6.5 times the national rate). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 42 to 55 and possession of weapons rose from 21 to 27, while criminal damage and arson fell from 103 to 65 and theft from the person fell from 291 to 185.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 742 | 72.1 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 395 | 38.4 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Shoplifting | 374 | 36.4 | 8.5 | +15% |
| Other theft | 217 | 21.1 | 6.4 | -21% |
| Public order | 198 | 19.2 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Theft from the person | 185 | 18.0 | 1.7 | -36% |
| Drugs | 144 | 14.0 | 3.3 | -21% |
| Robbery | 95 | 9.2 | 1.4 | 0% |
| Burglary | 93 | 9.0 | 3.6 | +19% |
| Vehicle crime | 76 | 7.4 | 5.0 | -31% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -37% |
| Bicycle theft | 55 | 5.3 | 0.8 | +31% |
| Other crime | 33 | 3.2 | 2.1 | -8% |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 2.6 | 1.0 | +29% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Lewisham Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lewisham Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ladywell | 1,642 | 140.4 | -46% |
| Blackheath | 3,142 | 186.3 | -29% |
| Brockley | 2,347 | 109.3 | -58% |
| Lee Green | 1,235 | 84.1 | -68% |
| Rushey Green | 3,824 | 186.5 | -29% |
| Deptford | 2,616 | 182.0 | -31% |
| Telegraph Hill | 1,276 | 78.6 | -70% |
| Crofton Park | 1,373 | 89.3 | -66% |
The 10 locations below account for 64% of the crime recorded in Lewisham Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (369).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 369 |
| On or near Parking Area | 234 |
| On or near Supermarket | 188 |
| On or near Lewisham Dlr | 171 |
| On or near Lewis Grove | 160 |
| On or near Thurston Road | 155 |
| On or near Barnstaple Lane | 147 |
| On or near Cornmill Lane | 127 |
| On or near Salisbury Yard | 96 |
| On or near Lewisham High Street | 88 |
Of the 2,304 crimes in Lewisham Central with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 395 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 955 | 41.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 646 | 28.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 265 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 176 | 7.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 110 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 59 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 50 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 23 | 1.0% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Lewisham Central has an estimated population of 10,287 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (69%, against 23%), more private renting (48%, against 20%) and more unemployed residents (7.3%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lewisham Central average decile 4.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Lewisham Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 3.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 69.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 7.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 4.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 60.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 69.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 30.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 47.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lewisham Central a safe place to live?
Lewisham Central recorded 262.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 109th 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 Lewisham Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 742 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (395).
Is crime in Lewisham Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lewisham Central was almost unchanged on the year before: 2,699 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,709 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lewisham Central?
About 10,287 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 3.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lewisham Central?
Lewisham Central 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.