Crime in St Paul's Cray: statistics, rates and trends
2,664 crimes were recorded in St Paul's Cray in the 12 months to August 2026, 139.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Paul's Cray at a glance
- Crime trends in St Paul's Cray
- Types of crime in St Paul's Cray
- St Paul's Cray compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Paul's Cray
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Paul's Cray
- Demographics of St Paul's Cray
- Questions about crime in St Paul's Cray
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (706), anti-social behaviour (532) and vehicle crime (341) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 541st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | St Paul's Cray | Bromley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,664 | 29,136 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 139.5 | 86.9 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -2% | -1% |
| Population | 19,097 | 335,319 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Paul's Cray peaked in the year to August 2023 (2,696 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (2,227). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 20%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,664 | 139.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,679 | 140.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,494 | 130.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,696 | 141.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,660 | 139.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,585 | 135.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,568 | 134.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,298 | 120.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,227 | 116.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 238 |
| July 2026 | 277 |
| June 2026 | 246 |
| May 2026 | 244 |
| April 2026 | 254 |
| March 2026 | 224 |
| February 2026 | 190 |
| January 2026 | 189 |
| December 2025 | 239 |
| November 2025 | 203 |
| October 2025 | 189 |
| September 2025 | 171 |
Compared with England and Wales, St Paul's Cray recorded notably more vehicle crime (3.6 times the national rate), drugs (92% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (81% above the national rate). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 245 to 341 and burglary rose from 95 to 118, while criminal damage and arson fell from 230 to 145 and robbery fell from 63 to 47.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 706 | 37.0 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 532 | 27.9 | 15.4 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 341 | 17.9 | 5.0 | +39% |
| Shoplifting | 285 | 14.9 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Public order | 160 | 8.4 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 145 | 7.6 | 6.7 | -37% |
| Other theft | 134 | 7.0 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Drugs | 120 | 6.3 | 3.3 | +3% |
| Burglary | 118 | 6.2 | 3.6 | +24% |
| Robbery | 47 | 2.5 | 1.4 | -25% |
| Other crime | 41 | 2.1 | 2.1 | +17% |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 1.0 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
St Paul's Cray has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Paul's Cray |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary Cray | 1,500 | 85.5 | -39% |
| Petts Wood & Knoll | 629 | 44.5 | -68% |
| Orpington | 1,531 | 112.1 | -20% |
| Chislehurst | 1,072 | 66.3 | -52% |
| Farnborough & Crofton | 1,296 | 68.7 | -51% |
| Bickley & Sundridge | 987 | 51.1 | -63% |
| Bromley Common & Holwood | 1,281 | 73.7 | -47% |
| Chelsfield | 566 | 43.5 | -69% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in St Paul's Cray over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (323).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 323 |
| On or near Supermarket | 155 |
| On or near Leesons Way | 64 |
| On or near Barnfield Road | 61 |
| On or near Hearns Road | 53 |
| On or near Hyde Drive | 43 |
| On or near Midfield Way | 42 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 42 |
| On or near Sayes Court Road | 42 |
| On or near Scarlet Close | 41 |
Of the 2,132 crimes in St Paul's Cray with a recorded outcome, 46% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 532 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 984 | 46.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 574 | 26.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 289 | 13.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 134 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 78 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 35 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
St Paul's Cray has an estimated population of 19,097 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (34%, against 17%), less private renting (12%, against 20%) and a younger population (13%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Paul's Cray average decile 3.5 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | St Paul's Cray | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 33.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is St Paul's Cray a safe place to live?
St Paul's Cray recorded 139.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 541st 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 St Paul's Cray?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 706 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (532).
Is crime in St Paul's Cray going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Paul's Cray was almost unchanged on the year before: 2,664 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,679 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Paul's Cray?
About 19,097 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Paul's Cray?
St Paul's Cray 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.