Crime in Northumberland Heath: statistics, rates and trends
827 crimes were recorded in Northumberland Heath in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Northumberland Heath at a glance
- Crime trends in Northumberland Heath
- Types of crime in Northumberland Heath
- Northumberland Heath compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Northumberland Heath
- What happened after crimes were reported in Northumberland Heath
- Demographics of Northumberland Heath
- Questions about crime in Northumberland Heath
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (272), anti-social behaviour (205) and public order (55) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,138th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Northumberland Heath | Bexley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 827 | 20,080 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.3 | 78.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +16% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 11,444 | 256,434 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Northumberland Heath peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,085 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (716). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 827 | 72.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 716 | 62.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 806 | 70.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 870 | 76.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 850 | 74.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 858 | 75.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,085 | 94.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 899 | 78.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 760 | 66.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 82 |
| July 2026 | 83 |
| June 2026 | 83 |
| May 2026 | 90 |
| April 2026 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 51 |
| February 2026 | 66 |
| January 2026 | 55 |
| December 2025 | 54 |
| November 2025 | 69 |
| October 2025 | 58 |
| September 2025 | 68 |
Compared with England and Wales, Northumberland Heath recorded notably more drugs (33% above the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (57% below) and shoplifting (52% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 28 to 46 and public order rose from 38 to 55, while criminal damage and arson fell from 57 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 272 | 23.8 | 34.2 | +24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 205 | 17.9 | 15.4 | +23% |
| Public order | 55 | 4.8 | 6.7 | +45% |
| Vehicle crime | 53 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Drugs | 50 | 4.4 | 3.3 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 46 | 4.0 | 8.5 | +64% |
| Other theft | 44 | 3.8 | 6.4 | +38% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 33 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -42% |
| Burglary | 26 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +4% |
| Other crime | 19 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Northumberland Heath; the highest is Bexleyheath (148.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Barnehurst (45.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Northumberland Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erith | 2,006 | 118.3 | +64% |
| Barnehurst | 452 | 45.7 | -37% |
| Belvedere | 1,744 | 95.9 | +33% |
| Bexleyheath | 2,437 | 148.1 | +105% |
| West Heath | 695 | 48.3 | -33% |
| Slade Green & Northend | 1,459 | 98.8 | +37% |
| Crook Log | 1,191 | 67.9 | -6% |
| Crayford | 1,479 | 87.5 | +21% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Northumberland Heath over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Limewood Road” (63).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Limewood Road | 63 |
| On or near Swaylands Road | 45 |
| On or near York Terrace | 37 |
| On or near Stelling Road | 36 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 25 |
| On or near Bexley Road | 24 |
| On or near Becton Place | 23 |
| On or near Mill Road | 23 |
| On or near Northumberland Close | 23 |
| On or near Penda Road | 23 |
Of the 622 crimes in Northumberland Heath with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 205 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 237 | 38.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 214 | 34.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 90 | 14.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 30 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Northumberland Heath has an estimated population of 11,444 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (12%, against 20%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (27%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Northumberland Heath average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Northumberland Heath | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Northumberland Heath a safe place to live?
Northumberland Heath recorded 72.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,138th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs.
What is the most common crime in Northumberland Heath?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 272 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (205).
Is crime in Northumberland Heath going up or down?
Recorded crime in Northumberland Heath was up 16% on the year before: 827 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 716 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Northumberland Heath?
About 11,444 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Northumberland Heath?
Northumberland Heath 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.