Crime in West Heath, Bexley: statistics, rates and trends
695 crimes were recorded in West Heath, Bexley in the 12 months to August 2026, 48.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Heath, Bexley at a glance
- Crime trends in West Heath, Bexley
- Types of crime in West Heath, Bexley
- West Heath, Bexley compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in West Heath, Bexley
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Heath, Bexley
- Demographics of West Heath, Bexley
- Questions about crime in West Heath, Bexley
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (249), anti-social behaviour (114) and vehicle crime (84) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,083rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | West Heath, Bexley | Bexley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 695 | 20,080 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 48.3 | 78.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 14,376 | 256,434 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Heath, Bexley peaked in the year to August 2020 (725 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (585). 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 | 695 | 48.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 642 | 44.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 650 | 45.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 689 | 47.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 617 | 42.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 585 | 40.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 725 | 50.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 638 | 44.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 598 | 41.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 50 |
| July 2026 | 56 |
| June 2026 | 63 |
| May 2026 | 51 |
| April 2026 | 59 |
| March 2026 | 77 |
| February 2026 | 67 |
| January 2026 | 42 |
| December 2025 | 59 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| October 2025 | 54 |
| September 2025 | 71 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and criminal damage and arson (72% below) and public order (61% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 22 to 37 and drugs rose from 31 to 42, while criminal damage and arson fell from 39 to 27 and vehicle crime fell from 103 to 84.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 249 | 17.3 | 34.2 | +28% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 114 | 7.9 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Vehicle crime | 84 | 5.8 | 5.0 | -18% |
| Other theft | 43 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Drugs | 42 | 2.9 | 3.3 | +35% |
| Burglary | 41 | 2.9 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Public order | 37 | 2.6 | 6.7 | +68% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 27 | 1.9 | 6.7 | -31% |
| Shoplifting | 16 | 1.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 13 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 12 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 9 | 0.6 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than West Heath, Bexley; the highest is Bexleyheath (148.1 per 1,000) and the lowest East Wickham (46.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Heath, Bexley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crook Log | 1,191 | 67.9 | +40% |
| Belvedere | 1,744 | 95.9 | +98% |
| Northumberland Heath | 827 | 72.3 | +49% |
| East Wickham | 790 | 46.6 | -4% |
| Bexleyheath | 2,437 | 148.1 | +206% |
| Falconwood & Welling | 1,282 | 72.9 | +51% |
| Thamesmead East | 1,581 | 97.1 | +101% |
| Erith | 2,006 | 118.3 | +145% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in West Heath, Bexley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Gayton Road” (72).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Gayton Road | 72 |
| On or near Hurst Lane | 50 |
| On or near Supermarket | 39 |
| On or near Clovelly Road | 21 |
| On or near Manorside Close | 19 |
| On or near Bideford Road | 17 |
| On or near Hartley Road | 17 |
| On or near A206 | 15 |
| On or near Hadlow Road | 15 |
| On or near Bognor Road | 14 |
Of the 581 crimes in West Heath, Bexley with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 114 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 213 | 36.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 209 | 36.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 45 | 7.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 36 | 6.2% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 32 | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 2 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
West Heath, Bexley has an estimated population of 14,376 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.2%, against 17.1%), less private renting (10%, against 20%) and more home ownership (84%, against 63%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Heath, Bexley average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | West Heath, Bexley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 83.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is West Heath, Bexley a safe place to live?
West Heath, Bexley recorded 48.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,083rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in West Heath, Bexley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 249 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (114).
Is crime in West Heath, Bexley going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Heath, Bexley was up 8% on the year before: 695 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 642 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Heath, Bexley?
About 14,376 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Heath, Bexley?
West Heath, Bexley 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.