Crime in Whitechapel: statistics, rates and trends
3,157 crimes were recorded in Whitechapel in the 12 months to August 2026, 151.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Whitechapel at a glance
- Crime trends in Whitechapel
- Types of crime in Whitechapel
- Whitechapel compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Whitechapel
- What happened after crimes were reported in Whitechapel
- Demographics of Whitechapel
- Questions about crime in Whitechapel
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (826), violence and sexual offences (684) and other theft (278) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 424th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Whitechapel | Tower Hamlets | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,157 | 48,202 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 151.7 | 145.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 20,812 | 331,886 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Whitechapel of any year here (3,157 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,157 | 151.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,422 | 164.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 3,475 | 167.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,176 | 152.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,401 | 163.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,584 | 172.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,791 | 182.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,638 | 174.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,410 | 163.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 311 |
| July 2026 | 260 |
| June 2026 | 241 |
| May 2026 | 307 |
| April 2026 | 214 |
| March 2026 | 223 |
| February 2026 | 249 |
| January 2026 | 215 |
| December 2025 | 286 |
| November 2025 | 248 |
| October 2025 | 304 |
| September 2025 | 299 |
Compared with England and Wales, Whitechapel recorded notably more theft from the person (6.1 times the national rate), bicycle theft (4.0 times the national rate) and robbery (3.0 times the national rate), and notably less criminal damage and arson (47% below) and other crime (43% below). On the year before, public order rose from 161 to 199 and theft from the person rose from 183 to 212, while bicycle theft fell from 97 to 68 and robbery fell from 115 to 84.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 826 | 39.7 | 15.4 | -16% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 684 | 32.9 | 34.2 | -1% |
| Other theft | 278 | 13.4 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Shoplifting | 249 | 12.0 | 8.5 | -12% |
| Theft from the person | 212 | 10.2 | 1.7 | +16% |
| Public order | 199 | 9.6 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Drugs | 168 | 8.1 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Burglary | 151 | 7.3 | 3.6 | -16% |
| Vehicle crime | 117 | 5.6 | 5.0 | -20% |
| Robbery | 84 | 4.0 | 1.4 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 75 | 3.6 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Bicycle theft | 68 | 3.3 | 0.8 | -30% |
| Other crime | 25 | 1.2 | 2.1 | -17% |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Whitechapel; the highest is Spitalfields & Banglatown (247.5 per 1,000) and the lowest St Dunstan's (111.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Whitechapel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spitalfields & Banglatown | 3,373 | 247.5 | +63% |
| St Katharine's & Wapping | 1,743 | 147.5 | -3% |
| Shadwell | 1,917 | 129.3 | -15% |
| Stepney Green | 1,854 | 133.3 | -12% |
| Weavers | 2,618 | 183.5 | +21% |
| Bethnal Green West | 3,307 | 169.4 | +12% |
| St Dunstan's | 1,520 | 111.8 | -26% |
| Bethnal Green East | 4,281 | 170.5 | +12% |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Whitechapel over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Plumbers Row” (180).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Plumbers Row | 180 |
| On or near Adler Street | 149 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 139 |
| On or near Plough Street | 115 |
| On or near Anthony Street | 107 |
| On or near Fieldgate Street | 98 |
| On or near Batty Street | 83 |
| On or near Sidney Street | 82 |
| On or near White Church Lane | 74 |
| On or near Commercial Road | 73 |
Of the 2,331 crimes in Whitechapel with a recorded outcome, 52% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 826 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,210 | 51.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 483 | 20.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 268 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 146 | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 91 | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 51 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 41 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 14 | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 10 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Whitechapel has an estimated population of 20,812 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (77%, against 23%), more private renting (53%, against 20%) and more students (19.0%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Whitechapel average decile 3.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Whitechapel | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 4.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 4.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 19.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 53.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 76.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 19.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 27.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 53.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Whitechapel a safe place to live?
Whitechapel recorded 151.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 424th 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 Whitechapel?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 826 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (684).
Is crime in Whitechapel going up or down?
Recorded crime in Whitechapel was down 8% on the year before: 3,157 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,422 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Whitechapel?
About 20,812 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 4.2% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Whitechapel?
Whitechapel 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.