Crime in South Norwood: statistics, rates and trends
1,985 crimes were recorded in South Norwood in the 12 months to August 2026, 105.6 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 South Norwood at a glance
- Crime trends in South Norwood
- Types of crime in South Norwood
- South Norwood compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South Norwood
- What happened after crimes were reported in South Norwood
- Demographics of South Norwood
- Questions about crime in South Norwood
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (636), anti-social behaviour (364) and vehicle crime (201) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,110th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | South Norwood | Croydon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,985 | 42,232 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 105.6 | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 18,794 | 409,342 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in South Norwood of any year here (1,985 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it was almost unchanged, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,985 | 105.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,038 | 108.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,046 | 108.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,125 | 113.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,084 | 110.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,114 | 112.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,436 | 129.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,046 | 108.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,000 | 106.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 163 |
| July 2026 | 169 |
| June 2026 | 154 |
| May 2026 | 191 |
| April 2026 | 161 |
| March 2026 | 158 |
| February 2026 | 166 |
| January 2026 | 154 |
| December 2025 | 170 |
| November 2025 | 163 |
| October 2025 | 162 |
| September 2025 | 174 |
Compared with England and Wales, South Norwood recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.2 times the national rate), robbery (2.0 times the national rate) and drugs (45% above the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (47% below) and other crime (42% below). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 87 to 162 and theft from the person rose from 29 to 38, while criminal damage and arson fell from 153 to 67 and drugs fell from 154 to 89.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 636 | 33.8 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 364 | 19.4 | 15.4 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 201 | 10.7 | 5.0 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 162 | 8.6 | 8.5 | +86% |
| Other theft | 151 | 8.0 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Public order | 106 | 5.6 | 6.7 | +13% |
| Drugs | 89 | 4.7 | 3.3 | -42% |
| Burglary | 69 | 3.7 | 3.6 | -10% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 67 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -56% |
| Robbery | 50 | 2.7 | 1.4 | -12% |
| Theft from the person | 38 | 2.0 | 1.7 | +31% |
| Other crime | 23 | 1.2 | 2.1 | -28% |
| Possession of weapons | 20 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than South Norwood; the highest is Selhurst (139.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Norbury Park (64.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside | 1,559 | 90.0 | -15% |
| Thornton Heath | 1,954 | 107.7 | +2% |
| Selhurst | 1,676 | 139.8 | +32% |
| Bensham Manor | 1,492 | 83.3 | -21% |
| Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood | 1,360 | 79.6 | -25% |
| Addiscombe West | 1,600 | 92.9 | -12% |
| Addiscombe East | 1,109 | 92.5 | -12% |
| Norbury Park | 608 | 64.6 | -39% |
The 10 locations below account for 30% of the crime recorded in South Norwood over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (218).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 218 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 55 |
| On or near A213 | 51 |
| On or near Selhurst | 47 |
| On or near Belgrave Road | 43 |
| On or near Broxholme Close | 42 |
| On or near Cargreen Road | 34 |
| On or near King'S Road | 34 |
| On or near Howden Road | 33 |
| On or near Armistice Gardens | 32 |
Of the 1,621 crimes in South Norwood with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 364 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 692 | 42.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 461 | 28.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 197 | 12.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 129 | 8.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 45 | 2.8% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 42 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 21 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 11 | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
South Norwood has an estimated population of 18,794 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (46%, against 23%), more private renting (35%, against 20%) and more unemployed residents (5.5%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South Norwood average decile 3.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | South Norwood | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 42.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 46.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 43.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 34.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is South Norwood a safe place to live?
South Norwood recorded 105.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,110th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and robbery.
What is the most common crime in South Norwood?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 636 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (364).
Is crime in South Norwood going up or down?
Recorded crime in South Norwood was down 3% on the year before: 1,985 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,038 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South Norwood?
About 18,794 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South Norwood?
South Norwood 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.