Tower HamletsCouncil area
Crime in Tower Hamlets
Recorded crime in Tower Hamlets is 1.4 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 15%. The biggest share of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
331,886 residents in 169 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 2/10High crime
- Living
- 9.4/10Excellent
- 5-year change
- +15%more crimes
Crime over 5 years
Up 15% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Tower Hamlets, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.4× the England and Wales average. 102 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 42% of the harm here
- Robbery: 18% of the harm here
- Burglary: 17% of the harm here
Anti-social behaviour: 44 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 3.8 |
| Burglary | 7.8 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 30.0 |
| Drugs | 6.4 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.7 |
| Other crime | 1.2 |
| Other theft | 12.2 |
| Theft from the person | 6.9 |
| Vehicle crime | 9.8 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 6.1 |
| Public order | 7.4 |
| Bicycle theft | 4.3 |
| Shoplifting | 4.9 |
Postcode districts in Tower Hamlets
Questions about crime in Tower Hamlets
- Is Tower Hamlets a safe place to live?
- Tower Hamlets scores 2 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Tower Hamlets?
- Up 15% over 5 years, from 32,789 recorded crimes a year to 37,625.
- What is the most common crime in Tower Hamlets?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 30 per 1,000 residents a year.