Crime in City and County of the City of London: statistics, rates and trends
9,663 crimes were recorded in City and County of the City of London in the 12 months to August 2026, 639.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in City and County of the City of London at a glance
- Crime trends in City and County of the City of London
- Types of crime in City and County of the City of London
- City and County of the City of London compared with nearby towns
- Areas within City and County of the City of London
- Streets with the most crime in City and County of the City of London
- What happened after crimes were reported in City and County of the City of London
- Demographics of City and County of the City of London
- Questions about crime in City and County of the City of London
- About this data
Crime map
Other theft (2,368), shoplifting (1,608) and violence and sexual offences (1,476) made up 56% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | City and County of the City of London | City of London | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 9,663 | 9,663 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 639.5 | 639.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 15,111 | 15,111 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in City and County of the City of London peaked in the year to August 2024 (10,137 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (5,396). 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 | 9,663 | 639.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 10,078 | 666.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 10,137 | 670.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 9,246 | 611.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 9,068 | 600.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,396 | 357.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 7,360 | 487.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 9,379 | 620.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 7,906 | 523.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 772 |
| July 2026 | 738 |
| June 2026 | 764 |
| May 2026 | 717 |
| April 2026 | 795 |
| March 2026 | 816 |
| February 2026 | 821 |
| January 2026 | 830 |
| December 2025 | 919 |
| November 2025 | 805 |
| October 2025 | 907 |
| September 2025 | 779 |
Compared with England and Wales, City and County of the City of London recorded notably more theft from the person (49.2 times the national rate), bicycle theft (28.5 times the national rate) and other theft (24.3 times the national rate). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 264 to 355 and vehicle crime rose from 132 to 171, while other crime fell from 90 to 49 and possession of weapons fell from 67 to 45.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other theft | 2,368 | 156.7 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Shoplifting | 1,608 | 106.4 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,476 | 97.7 | 34.2 | -11% |
| Theft from the person | 1,252 | 82.9 | 1.7 | -28% |
| Public order | 631 | 41.8 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Burglary | 499 | 33.0 | 3.6 | +17% |
| Drugs | 441 | 29.2 | 3.3 | +10% |
| Bicycle theft | 355 | 23.5 | 0.8 | +34% |
| Robbery | 297 | 19.7 | 1.4 | +16% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 282 | 18.7 | 6.7 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 189 | 12.5 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Vehicle crime | 171 | 11.3 | 5.0 | +30% |
| Other crime | 49 | 3.2 | 2.1 | -46% |
| Possession of weapons | 45 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -33% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
City and County of the City of London has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest towns.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs City and County of the City of London |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islington | 41,297 | 185.2 | -71% |
| Tower Hamlets | 48,202 | 145.2 | -77% |
| Southwark | 49,295 | 156.6 | -76% |
| Hackney | 38,918 | 145.9 | -77% |
| Camden | 46,472 | 217.4 | -66% |
| City of Westminster | 86,028 | 409.7 | -36% |
| Lambeth | 48,676 | 154.4 | -76% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 24,987 | 172.9 | -73% |
Of the 5 areas within City and County of the City of London, Walbrook had the highest crime rate (1,746.1 per 1,000) and Aldersgate the lowest (100.8), 17 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walbrook | Neighbourhood | 3,679 | 6,424 | 1,746.1 |
| Farringdon Without | Neighbourhood | 2,381 | 1,481 | 622.0 |
| Portsoken | Neighbourhood | 2,391 | 857 | 358.4 |
| Cripplegate | Neighbourhood | 4,488 | 682 | 152.0 |
| Aldersgate | Neighbourhood | 2,172 | 219 | 100.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 25% of the crime recorded in City and County of the City of London over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (444).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 444 |
| On or near Supermarket | 260 |
| On or near Holborn | 251 |
| On or near Bishopsgate | 247 |
| On or near Liverpool Street | 228 |
| On or near Victoria Avenue | 208 |
| On or near Circus Place | 199 |
| On or near New Street | 185 |
| On or near Southampton Buildings | 182 |
| On or near Watling Street | 169 |
Of the 9,474 crimes in City and County of the City of London with a recorded outcome, 53% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 189 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 4,982 | 52.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,701 | 18.0% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 892 | 9.4% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 801 | 8.5% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 576 | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 246 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 175 | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 38 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 25 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 18 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
City and County of the City of London has an estimated population of 15,111 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more households without a car (77%, against 23%), more private renting (48%, against 20%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (74%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up City and County of the City of London average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | City and County of the City of London | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 4.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 10.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 74.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 6.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 77.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 36.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 48.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is City and County of the City of London a safe place to live?
City and County of the City of London recorded 639.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1st of the 1,390 towns 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 City and County of the City of London?
Other theft was the most common category, with 2,368 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (1,608).
Is crime in City and County of the City of London going up or down?
Recorded crime in City and County of the City of London was down 4% on the year before: 9,663 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 10,078 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of City and County of the City of London?
About 15,111 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.3% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers City and County of the City of London?
City and County of the City of London is policed by City of London.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.