Crime in Sanderstead: statistics, rates and trends
536 crimes were recorded in Sanderstead in the 12 months to August 2026, 36.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 18% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Sanderstead at a glance
- Crime trends in Sanderstead
- Types of crime in Sanderstead
- Sanderstead compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Sanderstead
- What happened after crimes were reported in Sanderstead
- Demographics of Sanderstead
- Questions about crime in Sanderstead
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (193), vehicle crime (97) and anti-social behaviour (81) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,584th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Sanderstead | Croydon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 536 | 42,232 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 36.4 | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -18% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 14,719 | 409,342 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Sanderstead peaked in the year to August 2020 (710 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (525). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 536 | 36.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 650 | 44.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 525 | 35.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 535 | 36.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 586 | 39.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 586 | 39.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 710 | 48.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 537 | 36.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 578 | 39.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 44 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 59 |
| May 2026 | 52 |
| April 2026 | 47 |
| March 2026 | 51 |
| February 2026 | 31 |
| January 2026 | 34 |
| December 2025 | 28 |
| November 2025 | 56 |
| October 2025 | 42 |
| September 2025 | 37 |
Compared with England and Wales, Sanderstead recorded notably more vehicle crime (33% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (64% below) and other theft (63% below). On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 153 to 193 and vehicle crime rose from 81 to 97, while drugs fell from 144 to 20.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 193 | 13.1 | 34.2 | +26% |
| Vehicle crime | 97 | 6.6 | 5.0 | +20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 81 | 5.5 | 15.4 | -12% |
| Burglary | 46 | 3.1 | 3.6 | -8% |
| Other theft | 35 | 2.4 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Drugs | 20 | 1.4 | 3.3 | -86% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 17 | 1.2 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Public order | 15 | 1.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than Sanderstead.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Sanderstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purley Oaks & Riddlesdown | 613 | 60.2 | +65% |
| Selsdon & Addington Village | 781 | 71.1 | +95% |
| Selsdon Vale & Forestdale | 524 | 52.2 | +43% |
| Kenley | 556 | 45.6 | +25% |
| South Croydon | 1,689 | 89.4 | +146% |
| Purley & Woodcote | 1,657 | 89.1 | +145% |
| Park Hill & Whitgift | 1,222 | 138.6 | +281% |
| Waddon | 2,392 | 124.4 | +241% |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Sanderstead over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Kingswood Lane” (26).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Kingswood Lane | 26 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 24 |
| On or near Supermarket | 24 |
| On or near Copthorne Rise | 18 |
| On or near Kingswood Avenue | 16 |
| On or near Stanley Gardens | 13 |
| On or near Crozier Drive | 12 |
| On or near Ashdown Gardens | 11 |
| On or near Woodview Close | 11 |
| On or near Century Gardens | 10 |
Of the 455 crimes in Sanderstead with a recorded outcome, 45% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 81 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 204 | 44.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 137 | 30.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 63 | 13.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 23 | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 8 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 1.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.2% | 2.5% |
Sanderstead has an estimated population of 14,719 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (5.6%, against 17.1%), less private renting (8.3%, against 20.3%) and fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Sanderstead average decile 9.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Sanderstead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 43.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 86.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 5.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 8.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Sanderstead a safe place to live?
Sanderstead recorded 36.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,584th 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 Sanderstead?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 193 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (97).
Is crime in Sanderstead going up or down?
Recorded crime in Sanderstead was down 18% on the year before: 536 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 650 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Sanderstead?
About 14,719 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Sanderstead?
Sanderstead 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.