Crime in West Dulwich: statistics, rates and trends
732 crimes were recorded in West Dulwich in the 12 months to August 2026, 90.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Dulwich at a glance
- Crime trends in West Dulwich
- Types of crime in West Dulwich
- West Dulwich compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Dulwich
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Dulwich
- Demographics of West Dulwich
- Questions about crime in West Dulwich
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (159), anti-social behaviour (137) and vehicle crime (120) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,478th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | West Dulwich | Lambeth | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 732 | 48,809 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 90.7 | 154.0 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 8,072 | 316,920 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in West Dulwich of any year here (732 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 17%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 732 | 90.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 700 | 86.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 654 | 81.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 642 | 79.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 604 | 74.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 575 | 71.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 694 | 86.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 583 | 72.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 628 | 77.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 62 |
| July 2026 | 69 |
| June 2026 | 63 |
| May 2026 | 67 |
| April 2026 | 76 |
| March 2026 | 50 |
| February 2026 | 52 |
| January 2026 | 52 |
| December 2025 | 65 |
| November 2025 | 71 |
| October 2025 | 53 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
Compared with England and Wales, West Dulwich recorded notably more bicycle theft (3.0 times the national rate), vehicle crime (3.0 times the national rate) and other theft (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (68% below) and criminal damage and arson (63% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 61 to 104 and burglary rose from 38 to 56, while criminal damage and arson fell from 38 to 20 and vehicle crime fell from 168 to 120.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 159 | 19.7 | 34.2 | +22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 137 | 17.0 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Vehicle crime | 120 | 14.9 | 5.0 | -29% |
| Other theft | 104 | 12.9 | 6.4 | +70% |
| Burglary | 56 | 6.9 | 3.6 | +47% |
| Drugs | 29 | 3.6 | 3.3 | +45% |
| Public order | 27 | 3.3 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Shoplifting | 22 | 2.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 2.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 20 | 2.5 | 6.7 | -47% |
| Theft from the person | 19 | 2.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than West Dulwich; the highest is Brixton Windrush (358.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Streatham Wells (65.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Dulwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Martin's | 1,486 | 121.6 | +34% |
| Knight's Hill | 1,484 | 102.6 | +13% |
| Gipsy Hill | 1,251 | 101.0 | +11% |
| Streatham Hill East | 1,151 | 94.7 | +4% |
| Brixton Rush Common | 1,417 | 92.3 | +2% |
| Streatham Wells | 633 | 65.3 | -28% |
| Brixton Windrush | 3,884 | 358.8 | +296% |
| Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction | 2,395 | 153.3 | +69% |
The 10 locations below account for 54% of the crime recorded in West Dulwich over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Guernsey Grove” (111).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Guernsey Grove | 111 |
| On or near Hawarden Grove | 53 |
| On or near Peabody Hill | 41 |
| On or near Park Hall Road | 35 |
| On or near Charles Nex Mews | 29 |
| On or near Dalkeith Road | 29 |
| On or near Culzean Close | 28 |
| On or near Lairdale Close | 27 |
| On or near A2199 | 22 |
| On or near Chestnut Road | 22 |
Of the 595 crimes in West Dulwich with a recorded outcome, 59% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 137 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 350 | 58.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 132 | 22.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 47 | 7.9% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 33 | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 11 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 0.7% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
West Dulwich has an estimated population of 8,072 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (62%, against 34%), more households without a car (39%, against 23%) and more social housing (27%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Dulwich average decile 5.8 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | West Dulwich | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 62.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 38.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 50.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Dulwich a safe place to live?
West Dulwich recorded 90.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,478th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in West Dulwich?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 159 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (137).
Is crime in West Dulwich going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Dulwich was up 5% on the year before: 732 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 700 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Dulwich?
About 8,072 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Dulwich?
West Dulwich 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.