Crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets: statistics, rates and trends
1,182 crimes were recorded in Poplar, Tower Hamlets in the 12 months to August 2026, 169.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets at a glance
- Crime trends in Poplar, Tower Hamlets
- Types of crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets
- Poplar, Tower Hamlets compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets
- What happened after crimes were reported in Poplar, Tower Hamlets
- Demographics of Poplar, Tower Hamlets
- Questions about crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (302), anti-social behaviour (259) and vehicle crime (129) made up 58% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 311th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Poplar, Tower Hamlets | Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,182 | 48,202 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 169.1 | 145.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 6,988 | 331,886 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,241 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (840). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 41%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,182 | 169.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,046 | 149.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 960 | 137.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 907 | 129.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 913 | 130.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,086 | 155.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,241 | 177.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 926 | 132.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 840 | 120.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 109 |
| July 2026 | 107 |
| June 2026 | 91 |
| May 2026 | 110 |
| April 2026 | 116 |
| March 2026 | 87 |
| February 2026 | 87 |
| January 2026 | 92 |
| December 2025 | 97 |
| November 2025 | 72 |
| October 2025 | 104 |
| September 2025 | 110 |
Compared with England and Wales, Poplar, Tower Hamlets recorded notably more theft from the person (5.1 times the national rate), robbery (3.9 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (3.7 times the national rate). On the year before, public order rose from 49 to 69 and burglary rose from 31 to 42, while criminal damage and arson fell from 53 to 41.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 302 | 43.2 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 259 | 37.1 | 15.4 | +5% |
| Vehicle crime | 129 | 18.5 | 5.0 | +15% |
| Drugs | 81 | 11.6 | 3.3 | +5% |
| Public order | 69 | 9.9 | 6.7 | +41% |
| Other theft | 65 | 9.3 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 61 | 8.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 60 | 8.6 | 1.7 | +5% |
| Burglary | 42 | 6.0 | 3.6 | +35% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 41 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Robbery | 37 | 5.3 | 1.4 | +6% |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 2.9 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Poplar, Tower Hamlets; the highest is Canary Wharf (187.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Blackwall & Cubitt Town (97.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Poplar, Tower Hamlets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lansbury | 3,136 | 137.9 | -18% |
| Blackwall & Cubitt Town | 2,520 | 97.3 | -42% |
| Canary Wharf | 3,799 | 187.6 | +11% |
| Limehouse | 958 | 147.5 | -13% |
| Mile End | 3,537 | 142.0 | -16% |
| Bromley South | 1,470 | 103.9 | -39% |
| Bromley North | 1,937 | 152.5 | -10% |
| St Dunstan's | 1,520 | 111.8 | -34% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Poplar, Tower Hamlets over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Aspen Way” (145).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Aspen Way | 145 |
| On or near Harrow Lane | 97 |
| On or near Clove Crescent | 72 |
| On or near Saltwell Street | 49 |
| On or near Bazely Street | 47 |
| On or near Stoneyard Lane | 47 |
| On or near Hale Street | 45 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 42 |
| On or near Shirbutt Street | 41 |
| On or near Woolmore Street | 41 |
Of the 923 crimes in Poplar, Tower Hamlets with a recorded outcome, 50% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 259 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 466 | 50.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 173 | 18.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 115 | 12.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 72 | 7.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 34 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 28 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Poplar, Tower Hamlets has an estimated population of 6,988 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (67%, against 23%), more social housing (45%, against 17%) and more unemployed residents (7.1%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Poplar, Tower Hamlets average decile 1.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Poplar, Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 5.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 7.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 5.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 13.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 67.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 20.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 45.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 33.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 58.6% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Poplar, Tower Hamlets a safe place to live?
Poplar, Tower Hamlets recorded 169.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 311th 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 Poplar, Tower Hamlets?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 302 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (259).
Is crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets going up or down?
Recorded crime in Poplar, Tower Hamlets was up 13% on the year before: 1,182 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,046 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Poplar, Tower Hamlets?
About 6,988 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 5.0% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Poplar, Tower Hamlets?
Poplar, Tower Hamlets 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.