Crime in South Croydon: statistics, rates and trends
1,689 crimes were recorded in South Croydon in the 12 months to August 2026, 89.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South Croydon at a glance
- Crime trends in South Croydon
- Types of crime in South Croydon
- South Croydon compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South Croydon
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Croydon
- Demographics of South Croydon
- Questions about crime in South Croydon
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (499), anti-social behaviour (338) and vehicle crime (179) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,513th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | South Croydon | Croydon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,689 | 42,232 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 89.4 | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 18,884 | 409,342 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in South Croydon peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,730 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,288). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 31%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,689 | 89.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,652 | 87.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,398 | 74.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,473 | 78.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,670 | 88.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,676 | 88.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,730 | 91.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,485 | 78.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,288 | 68.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 154 |
| July 2026 | 161 |
| June 2026 | 149 |
| May 2026 | 135 |
| April 2026 | 139 |
| March 2026 | 149 |
| February 2026 | 120 |
| January 2026 | 120 |
| December 2025 | 131 |
| November 2025 | 114 |
| October 2025 | 188 |
| September 2025 | 129 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Croydon recorded notably more vehicle crime (91% above the national rate) and drugs (33% above the national rate), and notably less public order (32% below) and other crime (25% below). On the year before, criminal damage and arson rose from 85 to 107 and public order rose from 69 to 86, while drugs fell from 286 to 82 and burglary fell from 97 to 77.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 499 | 26.4 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 338 | 17.9 | 15.4 | +14% |
| Vehicle crime | 179 | 9.5 | 5.0 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 135 | 7.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 107 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +26% |
| Other theft | 103 | 5.5 | 6.4 | -1% |
| Public order | 86 | 4.6 | 6.7 | +25% |
| Drugs | 82 | 4.3 | 3.3 | -71% |
| Burglary | 77 | 4.1 | 3.6 | -21% |
| Other crime | 30 | 1.6 | 2.1 | +3% |
| Robbery | 24 | 1.3 | 1.4 | -8% |
| Theft from the person | 15 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than South Croydon; the highest is Fairfield, Croydon (314.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Sanderstead (36.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Croydon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waddon | 2,392 | 124.4 | +39% |
| Park Hill & Whitgift | 1,222 | 138.6 | +55% |
| Purley Oaks & Riddlesdown | 613 | 60.2 | -33% |
| Fairfield | 5,539 | 314.2 | +251% |
| Addiscombe West | 1,600 | 92.9 | +4% |
| Sanderstead | 536 | 36.4 | -59% |
| Selsdon & Addington Village | 781 | 71.1 | -21% |
| Broad Green | 3,900 | 177.7 | +99% |
The 10 locations below account for 34% of the crime recorded in South Croydon over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Junction Road” (168).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Junction Road | 168 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 89 |
| On or near Eden Road | 65 |
| On or near Temple Road | 62 |
| On or near Bartlett Street | 45 |
| On or near Churchill Road | 36 |
| On or near Drovers Road | 34 |
| On or near Croham Road | 29 |
| On or near Muggeridge Close | 28 |
| On or near Parking Area | 26 |
Of the 1,351 crimes in South Croydon with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 338 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 563 | 41.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 364 | 26.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 187 | 13.8% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 101 | 7.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 53 | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 31 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 22 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 5 | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
South Croydon has an estimated population of 18,884 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (35%, against 20%), more households without a car (34%, against 23%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (48%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Croydon average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | South Croydon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 67.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 48.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 34.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 52.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 34.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is South Croydon a safe place to live?
South Croydon recorded 89.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,513th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in South Croydon?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 499 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (338).
Is crime in South Croydon going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Croydon was up 2% on the year before: 1,689 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,652 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Croydon?
About 18,884 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Croydon?
South Croydon 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.