Crime in West Ham: statistics, rates and trends
1,569 crimes were recorded in West Ham in the 12 months to August 2026, 97.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (465), violence and sexual offences (453) and vehicle crime (156) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,302nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | West Ham | Newham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,569 | 50,823 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 97.2 | 135.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +12% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 16,137 | 374,523 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Ham peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,916 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,349). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 3%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,569 | 97.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,397 | 86.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,394 | 86.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,349 | 83.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,552 | 96.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,717 | 106.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,916 | 118.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,570 | 97.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,524 | 94.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 143 |
| July 2026 | 142 |
| June 2026 | 159 |
| May 2026 | 162 |
| April 2026 | 110 |
| March 2026 | 105 |
| February 2026 | 108 |
| January 2026 | 136 |
| December 2025 | 112 |
| November 2025 | 140 |
| October 2025 | 132 |
| September 2025 | 120 |
Compared with England and Wales, West Ham recorded notably more theft from the person (2.2 times the national rate), vehicle crime (94% above the national rate) and drugs (91% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (80% below) and criminal damage and arson (55% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 103 to 156 and anti-social behaviour rose from 358 to 465, while robbery fell from 47 to 27 and shoplifting fell from 33 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 465 | 28.8 | 15.4 | +30% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 453 | 28.1 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Vehicle crime | 156 | 9.7 | 5.0 | +51% |
| Drugs | 101 | 6.3 | 3.3 | +9% |
| Other theft | 99 | 6.1 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Public order | 60 | 3.7 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Theft from the person | 60 | 3.7 | 1.7 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 49 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -17% |
| Burglary | 45 | 2.8 | 3.6 | -18% |
| Robbery | 27 | 1.7 | 1.4 | -43% |
| Shoplifting | 27 | 1.7 | 8.5 | -18% |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than West Ham.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Ham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford | 7,927 | 427.5 | +340% |
| Plaistow North | 2,115 | 113.6 | +17% |
| Forest Gate South | 3,282 | 179.9 | +85% |
| Plaistow West & Canning Town East | 1,730 | 99.3 | +2% |
| Green Street West | 2,186 | 131.7 | +35% |
| Canning Town North | 2,202 | 197.7 | +103% |
| Maryland | 1,244 | 121.6 | +25% |
| Stratford Olympic Park | 1,554 | 105.2 | +8% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in West Ham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Church Street” (94).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Church Street | 94 |
| On or near Willis Road | 65 |
| On or near Plaistow Road | 56 |
| On or near Ladywell Street | 49 |
| On or near Eastbourne Road | 47 |
| On or near Maud Road | 47 |
| On or near Moorey Close | 45 |
| On or near Cridland Street | 40 |
| On or near Park Road | 37 |
| On or near Redriffe Road | 35 |
Of the 1,104 crimes in West Ham with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 465 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 441 | 39.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 324 | 29.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 139 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 96 | 8.7% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 35 | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 29 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 12 | 1.1% | 0.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
West Ham has an estimated population of 16,137 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (52%, against 23%), more social housing (37%, against 17%) and more unemployed residents (6.3%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Ham average decile 2.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | West Ham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 9.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 51.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 30.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 37.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Ham a safe place to live?
West Ham recorded 97.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,302nd 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 vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in West Ham?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 465 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (453).
Is crime in West Ham going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Ham was up 12% on the year before: 1,569 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,397 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Ham?
About 16,137 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Ham?
West Ham 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.