Crime in Borehamwood: statistics, rates and trends
4,229 crimes were recorded in Borehamwood in the 12 months to August 2026, 104.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Borehamwood at a glance
- Crime trends in Borehamwood
- Types of crime in Borehamwood
- Borehamwood compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Borehamwood
- Streets with the most crime in Borehamwood
- What happened after crimes were reported in Borehamwood
- Demographics of Borehamwood
- Questions about crime in Borehamwood
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,421), anti-social behaviour (901) and other theft (315) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 305th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Borehamwood | Hertsmere | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,229 | 9,819 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 104.4 | 89.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | -8% | -1% |
| Population | 40,497 | 110,212 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Borehamwood of any year here (4,229 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,229 | 104.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,920 | 121.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,604 | 113.7 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,614 | 113.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,332 | 107.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 4,446 | 109.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,440 | 109.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,692 | 115.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,743 | 117.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 390 |
| July 2026 | 388 |
| June 2026 | 396 |
| May 2026 | 315 |
| April 2026 | 363 |
| March 2026 | 390 |
| February 2026 | 303 |
| January 2026 | 314 |
| December 2025 | 338 |
| November 2025 | 342 |
| October 2025 | 352 |
| September 2025 | 338 |
Compared with England and Wales, Borehamwood recorded notably more drugs (69% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (45% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (52% below) and other crime (23% below). On the year before, shoplifting fell from 565 to 296 and theft from the person fell from 59 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,421 | 35.1 | 34.2 | -10% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 901 | 22.2 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Other theft | 315 | 7.8 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Shoplifting | 296 | 7.3 | 8.5 | -48% |
| Public order | 276 | 6.8 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 260 | 6.4 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Drugs | 224 | 5.5 | 3.3 | +3% |
| Vehicle crime | 180 | 4.4 | 5.0 | -34% |
| Burglary | 158 | 3.9 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Other crime | 66 | 1.6 | 2.1 | -18% |
| Robbery | 45 | 1.1 | 1.4 | -39% |
| Possession of weapons | 42 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -14% |
| Theft from the person | 33 | 0.8 | 1.7 | -44% |
| Bicycle theft | 12 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Borehamwood; the highest is London Colney (151.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Bricket Wood (55.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Borehamwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radlett | 490 | 60.0 | -43% |
| Bushey | 1,818 | 64.1 | -39% |
| Potters Bar | 2,320 | 94.8 | -9% |
| Barnet | 37,279 | 92.7 | -11% |
| London Colney | 1,274 | 151.6 | +45% |
| Bricket Wood | 295 | 55.3 | -47% |
| Watford (Watford) | 14,259 | 103.7 | -1% |
| Harrow | 21,983 | 81.7 | -22% |
Of the 5 areas within Borehamwood, Borehamwood Brookmeadow had the highest crime rate (131.6 per 1,000) and Elstree the lowest (62.4).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borehamwood Brookmeadow | Neighbourhood | 8,262 | 1,087 | 131.6 |
| Borehamwood Kenilworth | Neighbourhood | 6,979 | 790 | 113.2 |
| Borehamwood Cowley Hill | Neighbourhood | 10,818 | 1,159 | 107.1 |
| Borehamwood Hillside | Neighbourhood | 11,165 | 1,038 | 93.0 |
| Elstree | Neighbourhood | 5,030 | 314 | 62.4 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Borehamwood over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (282).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 282 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 247 |
| On or near Supermarket | 232 |
| On or near Whitehouse Avenue | 107 |
| On or near Brook Close | 70 |
| On or near Shenley Road | 59 |
| On or near B5378 | 58 |
| On or near Keystone Passage | 58 |
| On or near Sinderby Close | 56 |
| On or near Police Station | 55 |
Of the 3,328 crimes in Borehamwood with a recorded outcome, 35% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 901 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,172 | 35.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,144 | 34.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 381 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 233 | 7.0% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 121 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 114 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 62 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 42 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 28 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 22 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Borehamwood has an estimated population of 40,497 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (26%, against 17%), fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%) and a younger population (14%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Borehamwood average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Borehamwood | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Borehamwood a safe place to live?
Borehamwood recorded 104.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 305th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Borehamwood?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,421 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (901).
Is crime in Borehamwood going up or down?
Recorded crime in Borehamwood was down 14% on the year before: 4,229 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,920 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Borehamwood?
About 40,497 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Borehamwood?
Borehamwood is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.