Crime in Waterloo & South Bank: statistics, rates and trends
6,391 crimes were recorded in Waterloo & South Bank in the 12 months to August 2026, 662.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Waterloo & South Bank at a glance
- Crime trends in Waterloo & South Bank
- Types of crime in Waterloo & South Bank
- Waterloo & South Bank compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Waterloo & South Bank
- What happened after crimes were reported in Waterloo & South Bank
- Demographics of Waterloo & South Bank
- Questions about crime in Waterloo & South Bank
- About this data
Crime map
Theft from the person (1,307), other theft (1,199) and anti-social behaviour (1,162) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 7th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Waterloo & South Bank | Lambeth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 6,391 | 48,809 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 662.4 | 154.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 9,648 | 316,920 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Waterloo & South Bank of any year here (6,391 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 68%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 6,391 | 662.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 6,218 | 644.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 5,595 | 579.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 5,293 | 548.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,474 | 463.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,171 | 432.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,873 | 401.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,580 | 474.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,794 | 393.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 552 |
| July 2026 | 615 |
| June 2026 | 561 |
| May 2026 | 500 |
| April 2026 | 530 |
| March 2026 | 527 |
| February 2026 | 421 |
| January 2026 | 517 |
| December 2025 | 579 |
| November 2025 | 521 |
| October 2025 | 483 |
| September 2025 | 585 |
Compared with England and Wales, Waterloo & South Bank recorded notably more theft from the person (80.5 times the national rate), bicycle theft (19.5 times the national rate) and other theft (19.3 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 277 to 473 and anti-social behaviour rose from 794 to 1,162, while criminal damage and arson fell from 185 to 120 and burglary fell from 178 to 119.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theft from the person | 1,307 | 135.5 | 1.7 | -27% |
| Other theft | 1,199 | 124.3 | 6.4 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,162 | 120.4 | 15.4 | +46% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,134 | 117.5 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 473 | 49.0 | 8.5 | +71% |
| Public order | 316 | 32.8 | 6.7 | +39% |
| Robbery | 207 | 21.5 | 1.4 | -24% |
| Bicycle theft | 155 | 16.1 | 0.8 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 120 | 12.4 | 6.7 | -35% |
| Burglary | 119 | 12.3 | 3.6 | -33% |
| Drugs | 97 | 10.1 | 3.3 | -20% |
| Vehicle crime | 51 | 5.3 | 5.0 | -14% |
| Other crime | 32 | 3.3 | 2.1 | -14% |
| Possession of weapons | 19 | 2.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Waterloo & South Bank has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Waterloo & South Bank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennington | 2,225 | 138.6 | -79% |
| Vauxhall | 3,304 | 264.7 | -60% |
| Oval | 1,146 | 121.9 | -82% |
| Myatt's Fields | 981 | 100.5 | -85% |
| Stockwell East | 1,227 | 107.2 | -84% |
| Stockwell West & Larkhall | 2,087 | 121.4 | -82% |
| Brixton North | 2,474 | 148.9 | -78% |
| Clapham Town | 2,539 | 178.7 | -73% |
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in Waterloo & South Bank over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (816).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 816 |
| On or near Addington Street | 378 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 369 |
| On or near Chicheley Street | 315 |
| On or near Parking Area | 313 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 310 |
| On or near Pratt Walk | 271 |
| On or near Waterloo | 269 |
| On or near London Waterloo | 225 |
| On or near Ferry Terminal | 194 |
Of the 5,229 crimes in Waterloo & South Bank with a recorded outcome, 67% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,162 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,522 | 67.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 812 | 15.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 370 | 7.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 189 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 189 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 76 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 36 | 0.7% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Waterloo & South Bank has an estimated population of 9,648 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (25.8%, against 7.9%), more households without a car (73%, against 23%) and more social housing (37%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Waterloo & South Bank average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Waterloo & South Bank | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 8.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 10.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 9.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 25.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 54.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 73.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 22.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 36.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 40.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Waterloo & South Bank a safe place to live?
Waterloo & South Bank recorded 662.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 7th 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 bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Waterloo & South Bank?
Theft from the person was the most common category, with 1,307 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (1,199).
Is crime in Waterloo & South Bank going up or down?
Recorded crime in Waterloo & South Bank was up 3% on the year before: 6,391 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 6,218 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Waterloo & South Bank?
About 9,648 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 10% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Waterloo & South Bank?
Waterloo & South Bank 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.