Reported crime rose across south-east London in October, with Southwark recording more offences than any of its neighbouring boroughs, new figures show.
A total of 12,409 offences were logged across Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark during the month — up 2.2 per cent on September.
Southwark recorded the highest number of offences, with 3,730 crimes reported. Theft was the most common offence in the borough, with 1,676 incidents, followed by violence against the person, with 753 reports. Together, theft and violence against the person accounted for almost two-thirds of everything recorded in Southwark.
Police in the borough also dealt with 210 vehicle offences, 270 burglaries, 167 robberies, 139 arson and criminal damage offences, 155 public order offences and 173 drug offences.
How the five boroughs compare
| Borough | Offences in October | Most common crime |
|---|---|---|
| Southwark | 3,730 | Theft (1,676) |
| Lewisham | 2,724 | Violence against the person (836) |
| Greenwich | 2,477 | Violence against the person (781) |
| Bromley | 2,063 | Violence against the person (573) |
| Bexley | 1,415 | Violence against the person (459) |
Lewisham had the second-highest crime total, with 2,724 offences in October. Violence against the person and theft were again the most frequently recorded crimes, with 836 and 709 reports respectively, followed by 213 vehicle offences and 204 public order offences.
Greenwich ranked third, with 2,477 offences. The borough recorded 781 incidents of violence against the person and 607 theft offences, alongside 224 vehicle crimes, 185 public order offences, 145 arson and criminal damage offences and 135 burglaries.
Bromley was next, with 2,063 offences. Despite being London’s largest borough by area, it recorded considerably fewer offences than its inner-London neighbours. Its figures included 573 cases of violence against the person, 511 thefts and 261 vehicle offences, plus 162 arson and criminal damage offences, 155 public order offences and 114 burglaries.
Bexley recorded the lowest number of reported offences in south-east London, with 1,415 crimes. Police dealt with 459 reports of violence against the person, 349 thefts, 80 public order offences and 149 vehicle offences. Overall, crime levels in Bexley remained significantly lower than the sub-regional average.
A familiar pattern
The October figures follow a pattern that has held for most of this year. Since the start of the year, Southwark has recorded the highest number of reported offences in south-east London every month, with Bexley recording the lowest.
Across the boroughs, theft and violence against the person have consistently been the two most commonly recorded crime types, accounting for a significant proportion of all offences.
The figures are counts of offences reported to and recorded by the police. They are not a measure of how many cases led to a charge or a conviction, and a higher total in one borough does not on its own mean an individual resident is more likely to be a victim — the boroughs differ sharply in population, footfall and the number of visitors passing through them.
A similar count for east London, published yesterday, put six boroughs there at 14,040 reported crimes in October — down on the previous month. Read more: Which east London borough saw the most crime in October?
