Crime in Woolwich Arsenal: statistics, rates and trends
2,583 crimes were recorded in Woolwich Arsenal in the 12 months to August 2026, 198.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Woolwich Arsenal at a glance
- Crime trends in Woolwich Arsenal
- Types of crime in Woolwich Arsenal
- Woolwich Arsenal compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Woolwich Arsenal
- What happened after crimes were reported in Woolwich Arsenal
- Demographics of Woolwich Arsenal
- Questions about crime in Woolwich Arsenal
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (694), anti-social behaviour (552) and other theft (230) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 197th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Woolwich Arsenal | Greenwich | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,583 | 33,919 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 198.6 | 113.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 13,005 | 299,528 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Woolwich Arsenal peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,696 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (2,374). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,583 | 198.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,408 | 185.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,392 | 183.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,436 | 187.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,471 | 190.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,524 | 194.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,696 | 207.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,419 | 186.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,374 | 182.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 231 |
| July 2026 | 258 |
| June 2026 | 247 |
| May 2026 | 207 |
| April 2026 | 193 |
| March 2026 | 194 |
| February 2026 | 215 |
| January 2026 | 213 |
| December 2025 | 188 |
| November 2025 | 185 |
| October 2025 | 221 |
| September 2025 | 231 |
Compared with England and Wales, Woolwich Arsenal recorded notably more robbery (5.3 times the national rate), theft from the person (4.6 times the national rate) and drugs (3.5 times the national rate). On the year before, burglary rose from 79 to 119 and shoplifting rose from 142 to 208, while vehicle crime fell from 104 to 84 and bicycle theft fell from 27 to 22.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 694 | 53.4 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 552 | 42.4 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Other theft | 230 | 17.7 | 6.4 | +30% |
| Public order | 208 | 16.0 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Shoplifting | 208 | 16.0 | 8.5 | +46% |
| Drugs | 149 | 11.5 | 3.3 | +7% |
| Burglary | 119 | 9.2 | 3.6 | +51% |
| Theft from the person | 101 | 7.8 | 1.7 | +2% |
| Robbery | 93 | 7.2 | 1.4 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 84 | 6.5 | 5.0 | -19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 83 | 6.4 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other crime | 23 | 1.8 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Bicycle theft | 22 | 1.7 | 0.8 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 17 | 1.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Woolwich Arsenal has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Woolwich Arsenal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woolwich Common | 1,920 | 137.5 | -31% |
| Woolwich Dockyard | 2,385 | 169.4 | -15% |
| West Thamesmead | 1,006 | 96.8 | -51% |
| Plumstead & Glyndon | 2,664 | 113.1 | -43% |
| Shooters Hill | 984 | 84.7 | -57% |
| Plumstead Common | 1,765 | 111.6 | -44% |
| Charlton Village & Riverside | 974 | 127.7 | -36% |
| Abbey Wood | 1,834 | 104.3 | -47% |
The 10 locations below account for 51% of the crime recorded in Woolwich Arsenal over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (258).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 258 |
| On or near Greens End | 222 |
| On or near Duke Of Wellington Avenue | 120 |
| On or near Thomas Street | 120 |
| On or near Parking Area | 109 |
| On or near Taylor'S Buildings | 107 |
| On or near Woolwich New Road | 99 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 98 |
| On or near Love Lane | 95 |
| On or near Wellington Street | 86 |
Of the 2,031 crimes in Woolwich Arsenal with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 552 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 873 | 43.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 578 | 28.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 209 | 10.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 117 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 93 | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 89 | 4.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 50 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 12 | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Woolwich Arsenal has an estimated population of 13,005 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (64%, against 23%), more private renting (44%, against 20%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (60%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Woolwich Arsenal average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Woolwich Arsenal | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 5.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 72.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 5.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 60.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 64.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 30.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 43.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Woolwich Arsenal a safe place to live?
Woolwich Arsenal recorded 198.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 197th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were robbery and theft from the person.
What is the most common crime in Woolwich Arsenal?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 694 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (552).
Is crime in Woolwich Arsenal going up or down?
Recorded crime in Woolwich Arsenal was up 7% on the year before: 2,583 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,408 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Woolwich Arsenal?
About 13,005 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 5.6% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Woolwich Arsenal?
Woolwich Arsenal 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.