Crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets: statistics, rates and trends
1,917 crimes were recorded in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets in the 12 months to August 2026, 129.3 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets at a glance
- Crime trends in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- Types of crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- Shadwell, Tower Hamlets compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- Demographics of Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- Questions about crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (578), anti-social behaviour (439) and drugs (137) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 693rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Shadwell, Tower Hamlets | Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,917 | 48,202 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 129.3 | 145.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 14,830 | 331,886 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,514 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,752). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,917 | 129.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,762 | 118.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,946 | 131.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,752 | 118.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,031 | 137.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,380 | 160.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,514 | 169.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,222 | 149.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,409 | 162.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 168 |
| July 2026 | 161 |
| June 2026 | 158 |
| May 2026 | 167 |
| April 2026 | 155 |
| March 2026 | 192 |
| February 2026 | 145 |
| January 2026 | 136 |
| December 2025 | 130 |
| November 2025 | 175 |
| October 2025 | 183 |
| September 2025 | 147 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets recorded notably more theft from the person (4.4 times the national rate), drugs (2.8 times the national rate) and robbery (2.6 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (64% below) and criminal damage and arson (56% below). On the year before, theft from the person rose from 76 to 111 and other crime rose from 24 to 31, while criminal damage and arson fell from 89 to 44 and bicycle theft fell from 37 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 578 | 39.0 | 34.2 | +13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 439 | 29.6 | 15.4 | +6% |
| Drugs | 137 | 9.2 | 3.3 | +22% |
| Other theft | 133 | 9.0 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Public order | 117 | 7.9 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Theft from the person | 111 | 7.5 | 1.7 | +46% |
| Vehicle crime | 96 | 6.5 | 5.0 | +1% |
| Burglary | 89 | 6.0 | 3.6 | +10% |
| Robbery | 52 | 3.5 | 1.4 | -4% |
| Shoplifting | 45 | 3.0 | 8.5 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 44 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -51% |
| Bicycle theft | 31 | 2.1 | 0.8 | -16% |
| Other crime | 31 | 2.1 | 2.1 | +29% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Shadwell, Tower Hamlets; the highest is Spitalfields & Banglatown (247.5 per 1,000) and the lowest St Dunstan's (111.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shadwell, Tower Hamlets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stepney Green | 1,854 | 133.3 | +3% |
| St Katharine's & Wapping | 1,743 | 147.5 | +14% |
| Whitechapel | 3,157 | 151.7 | +17% |
| St Dunstan's | 1,520 | 111.8 | -13% |
| Limehouse | 958 | 147.5 | +14% |
| Spitalfields & Banglatown | 3,373 | 247.5 | +91% |
| Bethnal Green East | 4,281 | 170.5 | +32% |
| Mile End | 3,537 | 142.0 | +10% |
The 10 locations below account for 31% of the crime recorded in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Limehouse” (92).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Limehouse | 92 |
| On or near Jubilee Street | 78 |
| On or near Hungerford Street | 62 |
| On or near Ratcliffe Lane | 61 |
| On or near Boulcott Street | 58 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 54 |
| On or near Hainton Close | 53 |
| On or near Deancross Street | 44 |
| On or near Hawksmoor Mews | 44 |
| On or near Spert Street | 43 |
Of the 1,478 crimes in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets with a recorded outcome, 41% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 439 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 613 | 41.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 369 | 25.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 179 | 12.1% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 152 | 10.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 61 | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 51 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 29 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 14 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 6 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets has an estimated population of 14,830 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (64%, against 23%), more social housing (45%, against 17%) and more unemployed residents (6.4%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shadwell, Tower Hamlets average decile 1.8 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Shadwell, Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 7.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 13.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 63.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 23.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 45.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 30.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.8 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 57.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Shadwell, Tower Hamlets a safe place to live?
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets recorded 129.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 693rd 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 Shadwell, Tower Hamlets?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 578 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (439).
Is crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets was up 9% on the year before: 1,917 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,762 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shadwell, Tower Hamlets?
About 14,830 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.5% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shadwell, Tower Hamlets?
Shadwell, 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.