Crime in Woolwich Common: statistics, rates and trends
1,920 crimes were recorded in Woolwich Common in the 12 months to August 2026, 137.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Woolwich Common at a glance
- Crime trends in Woolwich Common
- Types of crime in Woolwich Common
- Woolwich Common compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Woolwich Common
- What happened after crimes were reported in Woolwich Common
- Demographics of Woolwich Common
- Questions about crime in Woolwich Common
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (807), anti-social behaviour (358) and vehicle crime (139) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 563rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Woolwich Common | Greenwich | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,920 | 33,919 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 137.5 | 113.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +14% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 13,961 | 299,528 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Woolwich Common of any year here (1,920 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,920 | 137.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,690 | 121.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,567 | 112.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,737 | 124.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,608 | 115.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,691 | 121.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,637 | 117.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,605 | 115.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,576 | 112.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 203 |
| July 2026 | 182 |
| June 2026 | 183 |
| May 2026 | 147 |
| April 2026 | 130 |
| March 2026 | 172 |
| February 2026 | 133 |
| January 2026 | 153 |
| December 2025 | 163 |
| November 2025 | 174 |
| October 2025 | 142 |
| September 2025 | 138 |
Compared with England and Wales, Woolwich Common recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.0 times the national rate), robbery (89% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (69% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (69% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 104 to 139 and violence and sexual offences rose from 650 to 807, while drugs fell from 107 to 62 and criminal damage and arson fell from 117 to 86.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 807 | 57.8 | 34.2 | +24% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 358 | 25.6 | 15.4 | +19% |
| Vehicle crime | 139 | 10.0 | 5.0 | +34% |
| Public order | 131 | 9.4 | 6.7 | +24% |
| Other theft | 127 | 9.1 | 6.4 | +1% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 86 | 6.2 | 6.7 | -26% |
| Burglary | 73 | 5.2 | 3.6 | +11% |
| Drugs | 62 | 4.4 | 3.3 | -42% |
| Shoplifting | 37 | 2.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Robbery | 36 | 2.6 | 1.4 | +6% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 2.4 | 1.7 | +18% |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Woolwich Common; the highest is Woolwich Arsenal (198.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Shooters Hill and Kidbrooke Park (84.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Woolwich Common |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shooters Hill | 984 | 84.7 | -38% |
| Woolwich Arsenal | 2,583 | 198.6 | +44% |
| Woolwich Dockyard | 2,385 | 169.4 | +23% |
| Plumstead & Glyndon | 2,664 | 113.1 | -18% |
| Plumstead Common | 1,765 | 111.6 | -19% |
| West Thamesmead | 1,006 | 96.8 | -30% |
| Charlton Village & Riverside | 974 | 127.7 | -7% |
| Kidbrooke Park | 971 | 84.7 | -38% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Woolwich Common over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hospital” (322).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hospital | 322 |
| On or near Shrapnel Close | 187 |
| On or near Barnfield Road | 123 |
| On or near Supermarket | 70 |
| On or near Engineer Close | 67 |
| On or near Rolfe Terrace | 57 |
| On or near Ruddstreet Close | 53 |
| On or near Parking Area | 49 |
| On or near Sandy Hill Road | 46 |
| On or near Woolwich Common | 45 |
Of the 1,562 crimes in Woolwich Common with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 358 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 653 | 41.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 506 | 32.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 191 | 12.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 77 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 76 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 31 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Offender given penalty notice | 3 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Woolwich Common has an estimated population of 13,961 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (42%, against 17%), more households without a car (50%, against 23%) and more unemployed residents (7.2%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Woolwich Common average decile 3.1 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Woolwich Common | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 7.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 11.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 50.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 26.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 41.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Woolwich Common a safe place to live?
Woolwich Common recorded 137.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 563rd 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 Woolwich Common?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 807 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (358).
Is crime in Woolwich Common going up or down?
Recorded crime in Woolwich Common was up 14% on the year before: 1,920 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,690 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Woolwich Common?
About 13,961 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.4% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Woolwich Common?
Woolwich Common 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.