Crime in West Finchley: statistics, rates and trends
2,383 crimes were recorded in West Finchley in the 12 months to August 2026, 113.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Finchley at a glance
- Crime trends in West Finchley
- Types of crime in West Finchley
- West Finchley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Finchley
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Finchley
- Demographics of West Finchley
- Questions about crime in West Finchley
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (644), violence and sexual offences (516) and vehicle crime (261) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 936th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | West Finchley | Barnet | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,383 | 37,545 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 113.7 | 92.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 20,964 | 405,050 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Finchley peaked in the year to August 2024 (2,492 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (2,054). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,383 | 113.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,191 | 104.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,492 | 118.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,268 | 108.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,186 | 104.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,219 | 105.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,334 | 111.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,270 | 108.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,054 | 98.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 224 |
| July 2026 | 189 |
| June 2026 | 194 |
| May 2026 | 199 |
| April 2026 | 186 |
| March 2026 | 231 |
| February 2026 | 208 |
| January 2026 | 184 |
| December 2025 | 196 |
| November 2025 | 191 |
| October 2025 | 197 |
| September 2025 | 184 |
Compared with England and Wales, West Finchley recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.5 times the national rate), robbery (2.3 times the national rate) and drugs (2.1 times the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (40% below) and violence and sexual offences (28% below). On the year before, robbery rose from 42 to 67 and violence and sexual offences rose from 394 to 516, while criminal damage and arson fell from 132 to 85 and shoplifting fell from 181 to 149.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 644 | 30.7 | 15.4 | +21% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 516 | 24.6 | 34.2 | +31% |
| Vehicle crime | 261 | 12.4 | 5.0 | -4% |
| Other theft | 172 | 8.2 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 149 | 7.1 | 8.5 | -18% |
| Drugs | 146 | 7.0 | 3.3 | +21% |
| Public order | 129 | 6.2 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Burglary | 100 | 4.8 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 85 | 4.1 | 6.7 | -36% |
| Theft from the person | 74 | 3.5 | 1.7 | -8% |
| Robbery | 67 | 3.2 | 1.4 | +60% |
| Other crime | 15 | 0.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
West Finchley has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Finchley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodhouse | 1,123 | 80.8 | -29% |
| Totteridge & Woodside | 1,047 | 68.1 | -40% |
| Finchley Church End | 1,460 | 78.9 | -31% |
| East Finchley | 1,277 | 75.8 | -33% |
| Friern Barnet | 1,759 | 88.9 | -22% |
| Whetstone | 1,004 | 78.3 | -31% |
| Garden Suburb | 820 | 76.0 | -33% |
| Golders Green | 1,349 | 75.1 | -34% |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in West Finchley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Winifred Place” (231).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Winifred Place | 231 |
| On or near Supermarket | 166 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 104 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 82 |
| On or near Parking Area | 80 |
| On or near Chaplin Square | 60 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 47 |
| On or near Seymour Road | 47 |
| On or near Regent Close | 42 |
| On or near Albert Place | 40 |
Of the 1,739 crimes in West Finchley with a recorded outcome, 46% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 644 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 798 | 45.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 446 | 25.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 225 | 12.9% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 121 | 7.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 91 | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 27 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 24 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
West Finchley has an estimated population of 20,964 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (41%, against 20%), more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (56%, against 34%) and less social housing (6.7%, against 17.1%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Finchley average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | West Finchley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 55.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 33.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 51.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 41.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Finchley a safe place to live?
West Finchley recorded 113.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 936th 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 West Finchley?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 644 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (516).
Is crime in West Finchley going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Finchley was up 9% on the year before: 2,383 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,191 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Finchley?
About 20,964 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Finchley?
West Finchley 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.