Crime in Petts Wood & Knoll: statistics, rates and trends
629 crimes were recorded in Petts Wood & Knoll in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Petts Wood & Knoll at a glance
- Crime trends in Petts Wood & Knoll
- Types of crime in Petts Wood & Knoll
- Petts Wood & Knoll compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Petts Wood & Knoll
- What happened after crimes were reported in Petts Wood & Knoll
- Demographics of Petts Wood & Knoll
- Questions about crime in Petts Wood & Knoll
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (127), anti-social behaviour (118) and vehicle crime (110) made up 56% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,273rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Petts Wood & Knoll | Bromley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 629 | 29,136 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.5 | 86.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 14,140 | 335,319 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Petts Wood & Knoll peaked in the year to August 2019 (787 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (606). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 629 | 44.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 652 | 46.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 711 | 50.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 606 | 42.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 705 | 49.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 679 | 48.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 783 | 55.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 787 | 55.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 770 | 54.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 42 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 56 |
| May 2026 | 46 |
| April 2026 | 65 |
| March 2026 | 57 |
| February 2026 | 43 |
| January 2026 | 48 |
| December 2025 | 61 |
| November 2025 | 51 |
| October 2025 | 49 |
| September 2025 | 56 |
Compared with England and Wales, Petts Wood & Knoll recorded notably more vehicle crime (57% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (74% below) and criminal damage and arson (64% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 35 to 52 and public order rose from 27 to 35, while shoplifting fell from 122 to 52 and drugs fell from 33 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 127 | 9.0 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 118 | 8.3 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 110 | 7.8 | 5.0 | +11% |
| Other theft | 52 | 3.7 | 6.4 | +49% |
| Shoplifting | 52 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -57% |
| Burglary | 40 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -5% |
| Public order | 35 | 2.5 | 6.7 | +30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 34 | 2.4 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Drugs | 24 | 1.7 | 3.3 | -27% |
| Robbery | 14 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 8 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Petts Wood & Knoll; the highest is St Paul's Cray (139.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Chelsfield (43.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Petts Wood & Knoll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farnborough & Crofton | 1,296 | 68.7 | +55% |
| St Mary Cray | 1,500 | 85.5 | +92% |
| Orpington | 1,531 | 112.1 | +152% |
| Bromley Common & Holwood | 1,281 | 73.7 | +66% |
| St Paul's Cray | 2,664 | 139.5 | +214% |
| Chelsfield | 566 | 43.5 | -2% |
| Bickley & Sundridge | 987 | 51.1 | +15% |
| Chislehurst | 1,072 | 66.3 | +49% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Petts Wood & Knoll over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Station Square” and “West Approach” (60 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Station Square | 60 |
| On or near West Approach | 60 |
| On or near Parking Area | 51 |
| On or near Queensway | 21 |
| On or near Ladywood Avenue | 18 |
| On or near Crofton Lane | 16 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 15 |
| On or near Fairway | 14 |
| On or near White Hart Road | 13 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 11 |
Of the 511 crimes in Petts Wood & Knoll with a recorded outcome, 51% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 118 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 263 | 51.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 117 | 22.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 52 | 10.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 45 | 8.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 13 | 2.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Petts Wood & Knoll has an estimated population of 14,140 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (3.4%, against 17.1%), less private renting (9.9%, against 20.3%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Petts Wood & Knoll average decile 9.5 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Petts Wood & Knoll | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 45.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 86.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 3.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Petts Wood & Knoll a safe place to live?
Petts Wood & Knoll recorded 44.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,273rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Petts Wood & Knoll?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 127 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (118).
Is crime in Petts Wood & Knoll going up or down?
Recorded crime in Petts Wood & Knoll was down 4% on the year before: 629 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 652 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Petts Wood & Knoll?
About 14,140 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Petts Wood & Knoll?
Petts Wood & Knoll 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.