Crime in Oval: statistics, rates and trends
1,145 crimes were recorded in Oval in the 12 months to July 2026, 121.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 1% on the year before.
1,145 crimes were recorded in Oval in the 12 months to July 2026, 121.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 1% on the year before. The most common offence was shoplifting, with 387 reports (34% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Oval has the 808th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Oval | Lambeth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,145 | 48,559 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 121.8 | 153.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 9,403 | 316,920 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Oval was highest in the year to July 2020 (1,677 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2025 (1,130). Over the whole period it fell 14%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,145 | 121.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,130 | 120.2 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,288 | 137.0 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,189 | 126.4 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,439 | 153.0 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,547 | 164.5 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,677 | 178.3 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,341 | 142.6 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,330 | 141.4 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 111 |
| June 2026 | 124 |
| May 2026 | 121 |
| April 2026 | 107 |
| March 2026 | 100 |
| February 2026 | 80 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| November 2025 | 113 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 83 |
| August 2025 | 98 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Oval over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for shoplifting, theft from the person, drugs.
The largest increases were in bicycle theft (+21%) and shoplifting (+19%). The largest falls were in other theft (-26%) and criminal damage and arson (-20%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 387 | 41.2 | 4.97 | +19% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 185 | 19.7 | 0.57 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 164 | 17.4 | 1.14 | -6% |
| Theft from the person | 89 | 9.5 | 5.60 | +2% |
| Other theft | 53 | 5.6 | 0.88 | -26% |
| Burglary | 41 | 4.4 | 1.23 | -5% |
| Drugs | 40 | 4.3 | 1.30 | +14% |
| Public order | 40 | 4.3 | 0.64 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 38 | 4.0 | 0.82 | -19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 35 | 3.7 | 0.55 | -20% |
| Robbery | 31 | 3.3 | 2.44 | -6% |
| Bicycle theft | 29 | 3.1 | 3.75 | +21% |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.7 | 0.35 | -42% |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.6 | 0.66 | +50% |
Shoplifting in Oval
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Oval recorded 387 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (41.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 19% on the year before. It made up 33.8% of all crime in the area.
Violence and sexual offences in Oval
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Oval recorded 185 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (19.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 16.2% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Oval
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Oval recorded 164 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (17.4 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 14.3% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Oval
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Oval recorded 89 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 7.8% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Oval
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Oval recorded 53 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.6 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 26% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Oval
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Oval recorded 41 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.4 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 3.6% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Oval
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Oval recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Oval
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Oval recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 3.5% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Oval
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Oval recorded 38 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 19% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Oval
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Oval recorded 35 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 3.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Oval
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Oval recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 2.7% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Oval
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Oval recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and up 21% on the year before. It made up 2.5% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Oval
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Oval recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 42% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Oval
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Oval recorded 6 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 50% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Oval, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Oval.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Oval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall | 3,301 | 264.5 | +117% |
| Stockwell East | 1,200 | 104.9 | -14% |
| Stockwell West & Larkhall | 2,084 | 121.2 | -0% |
| Myatt's Fields | 974 | 99.7 | -18% |
| Kennington | 2,200 | 137.1 | +13% |
| Brixton North | 2,477 | 149.1 | +22% |
| Clapham East | 2,450 | 218.3 | +79% |
| Clapham Town | 2,515 | 177.0 | +45% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Oval over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 437 |
| On or near Luscombe Way | 64 |
| On or near Dorset Road | 41 |
| On or near Palfrey Place | 40 |
| On or near Old South Lambeth Road | 37 |
| On or near Conference/Exhibition Centre | 35 |
| On or near Offley Road | 32 |
| On or near Richborne Terrace | 31 |
| On or near Trigon Road | 28 |
| On or near Walton Close | 28 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Oval over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 540 | 47.2% |
| Not recorded | 164 | 14.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 163 | 14.2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 130 | 11.4% |
| Under investigation | 59 | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 33 | 2.9% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 2.8% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 0.9% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% |
Oval has an estimated population of 9,403. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Oval sits in decile 4.5, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Oval |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 10.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 78.7% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.4% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 26.3% |
| Social rented homes | 34.2% |
| Private rented homes | 39.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.5 |
Is Oval a safe place to live?
Oval recorded 121.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Oval?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 387 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (185).
Is crime in Oval going up or down?
Recorded crime in Oval was up 1% on the year before: 1,145 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,130 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Oval?
Oval is policed by Metropolitan Police. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Oval. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.