Crime in Preston, Brent: statistics, rates and trends
846 crimes were recorded in Preston, Brent in the 12 months to August 2026, 72.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Preston, Brent at a glance
- Crime trends in Preston, Brent
- Types of crime in Preston, Brent
- Preston, Brent compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Preston, Brent
- What happened after crimes were reported in Preston, Brent
- Demographics of Preston, Brent
- Questions about crime in Preston, Brent
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (271), anti-social behaviour (198) and vehicle crime (69) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,113th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Preston, Brent | Brent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 846 | 42,565 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 72.8 | 120.6 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +20% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 11,617 | 352,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Preston, Brent peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,013 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (706). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it was almost unchanged, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 846 | 72.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 706 | 60.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 735 | 63.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 709 | 61.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 751 | 64.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 866 | 74.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,013 | 87.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 834 | 71.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 844 | 72.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 57 |
| July 2026 | 81 |
| June 2026 | 61 |
| May 2026 | 71 |
| April 2026 | 72 |
| March 2026 | 60 |
| February 2026 | 74 |
| January 2026 | 64 |
| December 2025 | 63 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 108 |
| September 2025 | 73 |
Compared with England and Wales, Preston, Brent recorded notably more theft from the person (2.0 times the national rate), drugs (74% above the national rate) and robbery (39% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (75% below) and criminal damage and arson (66% below). On the year before, theft from the person rose from 21 to 40 and violence and sexual offences rose from 182 to 271, while shoplifting fell from 49 to 25 and criminal damage and arson fell from 38 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 271 | 23.3 | 34.2 | +49% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 198 | 17.0 | 15.4 | +31% |
| Vehicle crime | 69 | 5.9 | 5.0 | +33% |
| Drugs | 66 | 5.7 | 3.3 | +40% |
| Other theft | 62 | 5.3 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Theft from the person | 40 | 3.4 | 1.7 | +90% |
| Public order | 33 | 2.8 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 27 | 2.3 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Burglary | 25 | 2.2 | 3.6 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 2.2 | 8.5 | -49% |
| Robbery | 22 | 1.9 | 1.4 | -8% |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 2 | 0.2 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Preston, Brent; the highest is Barnhill (165.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Northwick Park (44.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Preston, Brent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenton | 1,888 | 93.1 | +28% |
| Northwick Park | 481 | 44.7 | -39% |
| Wembley Hill | 2,585 | 154.9 | +113% |
| Wembley Park | 2,528 | 164.0 | +125% |
| Barnhill | 1,628 | 165.5 | +127% |
| Sudbury | 1,116 | 72.7 | 0% |
| Wembley Central | 1,877 | 111.4 | +53% |
| Tokyngton | 802 | 76.7 | +5% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Preston, Brent over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (62).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 62 |
| On or near Preston Road | 58 |
| On or near Supermarket | 57 |
| On or near Elmstead Avenue | 56 |
| On or near Hirst Crescent | 56 |
| On or near Courtenay Road | 45 |
| On or near Bowling Green Court | 33 |
| On or near College Road | 27 |
| On or near Third Avenue | 27 |
| On or near St Augustine'S Avenue | 24 |
Of the 648 crimes in Preston, Brent with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 198 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 245 | 37.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 216 | 33.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 82 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 57 | 8.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 8 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 1 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Preston, Brent has an estimated population of 11,617 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (40%, against 20%), fewer retired residents (12%, against 22%) and more students (11.4%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Preston, Brent average decile 4.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Preston, Brent | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 11.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 28.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 47.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 39.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Preston, Brent a safe place to live?
Preston, Brent recorded 72.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,113th 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 drugs.
What is the most common crime in Preston, Brent?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 271 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (198).
Is crime in Preston, Brent going up or down?
Recorded crime in Preston, Brent was up 20% on the year before: 846 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 706 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Preston, Brent?
About 11,617 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Preston, Brent?
Preston, Brent 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.