Crime in South Balham: statistics, rates and trends
741 crimes were recorded in South Balham in the 12 months to July 2026, 84.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in South Balham at a glance
- Crime trends in South Balham
- Types of crime in South Balham
- South Balham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South Balham
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Balham
- Population and deprivation in South Balham
- Questions about crime in South Balham
- About this data
741 crimes were recorded in South Balham in the 12 months to July 2026, 84.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 9% on the year before. The most common offence was anti-social behaviour, with 185 reports (25% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, South Balham has the 1,659th highest crime rate.
| Measure | South Balham | Wandsworth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 741 | 33,499 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.9 | 99.2 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -9% | +1% | -1% |
| Population | 8,731 | 337,655 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in South Balham was highest in the year to July 2021 (1,076 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2018 (575). Over the whole period it rose 29%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 741 | 84.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 812 | 93.0 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 828 | 94.8 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 796 | 91.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 754 | 86.4 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,076 | 123.2 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 836 | 95.8 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 616 | 70.6 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 575 | 65.9 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 83 |
| June 2026 | 58 |
| May 2026 | 65 |
| April 2026 | 59 |
| March 2026 | 53 |
| February 2026 | 55 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| December 2025 | 44 |
| November 2025 | 51 |
| October 2025 | 74 |
| September 2025 | 57 |
| August 2025 | 91 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in South Balham over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for anti-social behaviour, vehicle crime, burglary.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+14%) and public order (+14%). The largest falls were in shoplifting (-37%) and burglary (-27%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 185 | 21.2 | 1.38 | +14% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 147 | 16.8 | 0.49 | -10% |
| Vehicle crime | 84 | 9.6 | 1.95 | -21% |
| Other theft | 64 | 7.3 | 1.15 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 62 | 7.1 | 0.86 | -37% |
| Burglary | 43 | 4.9 | 1.39 | -27% |
| Public order | 41 | 4.7 | 0.71 | +14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 31 | 3.6 | 0.52 | -11% |
| Robbery | 22 | 2.5 | 1.87 | -15% |
| Drugs | 21 | 2.4 | 0.74 | +40% |
| Theft from the person | 21 | 2.4 | 1.42 | -5% |
| Other crime | 9 | 1.0 | 0.49 | -18% |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.8 | 0.97 | -36% |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.5 | 0.47 | +33% |
Anti-social behaviour in South Balham
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. South Balham recorded 185 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (21.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 25.0% of all crime in the area.
Violence and sexual offences in South Balham
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. South Balham recorded 147 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (16.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 10% on the year before. It made up 19.8% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in South Balham
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. South Balham recorded 84 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (9.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 21% on the year before. It made up 11.3% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in South Balham
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. South Balham recorded 64 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 3% on the year before. It made up 8.6% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in South Balham
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. South Balham recorded 62 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 37% on the year before. It made up 8.4% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in South Balham
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. South Balham recorded 43 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 5.8% of all crime in the area.
Public order in South Balham
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. South Balham recorded 41 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 14% on the year before. It made up 5.5% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in South Balham
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. South Balham recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 4.2% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in South Balham
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. South Balham recorded 22 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 15% on the year before. It made up 3.0% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in South Balham
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. South Balham recorded 21 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 40% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in South Balham
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. South Balham recorded 21 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.4 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 5% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in South Balham
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. South Balham recorded 9 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 18% on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in South Balham
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. South Balham recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 36% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in South Balham
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. South Balham recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 33% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to South Balham, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to South Balham.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Balham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity | 1,671 | 136.6 | +61% |
| Tooting Bec | 1,344 | 71.6 | -16% |
| Balham | 2,114 | 129.3 | +52% |
| Furzedown | 1,314 | 72.8 | -14% |
| Tooting Broadway | 2,766 | 161.3 | +90% |
| Northcote | 794 | 62.0 | -27% |
| Wandsworth Common | 1,146 | 68.2 | -20% |
| Wandle | 760 | 72.0 | -15% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in South Balham over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 93 |
| On or near Larch Close | 59 |
| On or near Bedford Hill | 52 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 52 |
| On or near Elmbourne Road | 39 |
| On or near Huron Road | 38 |
| On or near Drakefield Road | 33 |
| On or near Balham High Road | 32 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 30 |
| On or near Terrapin Road | 23 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in South Balham over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 289 | 39.0% |
| Not recorded | 185 | 25.0% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 157 | 21.2% |
| Under investigation | 54 | 7.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 26 | 3.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 1.8% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 0.9% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 0.8% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% |
South Balham has an estimated population of 8,731. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in South Balham sits in decile 7.0, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | South Balham |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.2% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 75.9% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.9% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.8% |
| Social rented homes | 20.0% |
| Private rented homes | 36.0% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 |
Is South Balham a safe place to live?
South Balham recorded 84.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in South Balham?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 185 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (147).
Is crime in South Balham going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Balham was down 9% on the year before: 741 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 812 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers South Balham?
South Balham is policed by Metropolitan Police. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to South Balham. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.