Crime in Purley & Woodcote: statistics, rates and trends
1,657 crimes were recorded in Purley & Woodcote in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Purley & Woodcote at a glance
- Crime trends in Purley & Woodcote
- Types of crime in Purley & Woodcote
- Purley & Woodcote compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Purley & Woodcote
- What happened after crimes were reported in Purley & Woodcote
- Demographics of Purley & Woodcote
- Questions about crime in Purley & Woodcote
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (509), anti-social behaviour (327) and vehicle crime (188) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,526th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Purley & Woodcote | Croydon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,657 | 42,232 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.1 | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 18,607 | 409,342 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Purley & Woodcote peaked in the year to August 2025 (1,703 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,401). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 18%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,657 | 89.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,703 | 91.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,463 | 78.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,529 | 82.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,659 | 89.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,592 | 85.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,664 | 89.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,560 | 83.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,401 | 75.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 139 |
| July 2026 | 179 |
| June 2026 | 172 |
| May 2026 | 130 |
| April 2026 | 122 |
| March 2026 | 163 |
| February 2026 | 154 |
| January 2026 | 130 |
| December 2025 | 120 |
| November 2025 | 93 |
| October 2025 | 129 |
| September 2025 | 126 |
Compared with England and Wales, Purley & Woodcote recorded notably more robbery (2.5 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (55% below) and shoplifting (40% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 38 to 64 and vehicle crime rose from 147 to 188, while criminal damage and arson fell from 108 to 56 and burglary fell from 109 to 79.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 509 | 27.4 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 327 | 17.6 | 15.4 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 188 | 10.1 | 5.0 | +28% |
| Other theft | 107 | 5.8 | 6.4 | -8% |
| Public order | 100 | 5.4 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 95 | 5.1 | 8.5 | +13% |
| Burglary | 79 | 4.2 | 3.6 | -28% |
| Drugs | 76 | 4.1 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Robbery | 64 | 3.4 | 1.4 | +68% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 56 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -48% |
| Theft from the person | 23 | 1.2 | 1.7 | -12% |
| Other crime | 17 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Purley & Woodcote; the highest is Fairfield, Croydon (314.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Sanderstead (36.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Purley & Woodcote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purley Oaks & Riddlesdown | 613 | 60.2 | -32% |
| Kenley | 556 | 45.6 | -49% |
| Coulsdon Town | 913 | 65.6 | -26% |
| Sanderstead | 536 | 36.4 | -59% |
| Old Coulsdon | 625 | 56.2 | -37% |
| South Croydon | 1,689 | 89.4 | 0% |
| Waddon | 2,392 | 124.4 | +40% |
| Fairfield | 5,539 | 314.2 | +253% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Purley & Woodcote over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (130).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 130 |
| On or near Supermarket | 115 |
| On or near Kimberley Place | 65 |
| On or near Russell Hill Place | 64 |
| On or near High Street | 55 |
| On or near Banstead Road | 53 |
| On or near Purley Road | 53 |
| On or near Sydney Avenue | 48 |
| On or near Station Approach | 36 |
| On or near Woodcote Drive | 26 |
Of the 1,330 crimes in Purley & Woodcote with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 327 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 526 | 39.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 397 | 29.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 192 | 14.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 101 | 7.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 2.7% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 26 | 2.0% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 23 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 8 | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Purley & Woodcote has an estimated population of 18,607 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (50%, against 34%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (12%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Purley & Woodcote average decile 6.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Purley & Woodcote | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 49.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 22.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 69.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 19.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Purley & Woodcote a safe place to live?
Purley & Woodcote recorded 89.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,526th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Purley & Woodcote?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 509 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (327).
Is crime in Purley & Woodcote going up or down?
Recorded crime in Purley & Woodcote was down 3% on the year before: 1,657 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,703 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Purley & Woodcote?
About 18,607 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Purley & Woodcote?
Purley & Woodcote 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.