Southwark suffered more burglaries than any other London borough last month, with 224 break-ins recorded in September — almost six times the total reported in Kingston upon Thames, new Metropolitan Police figures reveal.
Officers across the capital logged 3,829 burglaries during September 2026, and the borough-by-borough breakdown of London burglary hotspots shows break-ins are far from evenly spread. A cluster of inner-London boroughs accounts for a disproportionate share of the total, while several outer-London boroughs recorded only a fraction of that number.
The figures, published by the Metropolitan Police, cover recorded burglaries across London during September 2026. They count offences logged by officers, which means the true number of break-ins — including those never reported — is likely to be higher.
Hackney posted the second-highest total with 185 burglaries, just ahead of Westminster on 180. Lambeth followed with 175, then Barnet with 174, Islington with 170 and Enfield with 169.
At the other end of the table, Kingston upon Thames recorded only 39 burglaries — the lowest figure of any borough. Bexley logged 40, Merton 51 and Havering 55.
The contrast between the top and bottom of the table is stark. Southwark’s total of 224 was 185 higher than Kingston’s 39 — meaning the south London borough saw nearly six break-ins for every one in Kingston.
Five boroughs share the highest burglary rate
The headline totals only tell part of the story. When burglaries are measured against population, five boroughs share the highest rate among the figures supplied: Hackney, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Southwark and Westminster each recorded 0.7 burglaries per 1,000 residents.
Camden and Tower Hamlets came next on 0.6 per 1,000, while Enfield, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham and Lambeth each recorded 0.5 per 1,000.
The difference between the two measures matters. Southwark recorded the most burglaries in absolute terms, but once population is taken into account it sits level with four other boroughs. Larger, more densely populated boroughs will almost always dominate a straight count, which is why the rate — not just the total — is worth watching.
Burglaries down 3.9% in a year
There is some reassurance in the longer-term trend. Across London, the number of recorded burglaries fell by 3.9% in the 12 months to September 2026 compared with the previous 12-month period, according to the Met’s data.
The decline suggests that, despite the sharp differences between boroughs, the overall direction of travel for burglary in the capital is downward. Householders are advised not to be complacent, particularly as the darker autumn evenings set in.
The borough breakdown
September’s figures for the boroughs named, from highest to lowest:
- Southwark – 224 (0.7 per 1,000 residents)
- Hackney – 185 (0.7 per 1,000)
- Westminster – 180 (0.7 per 1,000)
- Lambeth – 175 (0.5 per 1,000)
- Barnet – 174
- Islington – 170 (0.7 per 1,000)
- Enfield – 169 (0.5 per 1,000)
- Havering – 55
- Merton – 51
- Bexley – 40
- Kingston upon Thames – 39
Kensington and Chelsea also recorded 0.7 burglaries per 1,000 residents, with Camden and Tower Hamlets on 0.6 and Greenwich and Hammersmith and Fulham on 0.5.
How to cut your burglary risk
- Lock doors and windows every time you go out — and when you are upstairs or in the garden.
- Use timer switches so lights come on when the house is empty.
- Keep valuables out of sight from windows, photograph them and register serial numbers on Immobilise, the national property database.
- Wait until you are home before posting holiday photos on social media.
- Consider a visible alarm, motion-sensor lighting or a video doorbell.
- Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme or street WhatsApp group.
Check crime where you live
- Enter your postcode at police.uk to see recorded offences on your street.
- Call 101 to report a burglary that is not happening now; always dial 999 if offenders are still at the scene.
- Pass on information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
