New data has revealed London’s crime hotspot as Westminster, with criminal offences in the area reaching nearly 100,000 in the past year alone, over double the number of reports in the next highest borough; Tower Hamlets.

Crime in London is on the rise, up 15% year on year, with reports of theft, robbery and sexual offences at an all-time high. Levels of theft have nearly doubled since 2021, reaching over 27,000 reported incidents in 2023.

The data, collated by London criminal defence solicitors Lawtons, analysed the total crimes per 1,000 people in each borough for the past three years. Each borough was given a crime index score (out of 100) to determine London’s crime hotspots.

Westminster came out on top as the most crime-ridden London borough, with a crime index score of 97 out of 100, topping the list in every offence. Theft in the area accounted for over 20% of total theft in London in 2023. This is 5% higher than the average crime rate in England.

Tower Hamlets came out in second place, with a crime index score of 60. Again, theft is the most frequently reported crime in the borough, reaching 10,970 thefts in 2023, closely followed by violence against a person (10,702 offences).

When looking at which types of offences are on the rise in London, the data revealed all but one offence has increased since 2021.

Drug offences are the only crime to have fallen across London- down 17% in two years. This is not to say, however, that drug crime isn’t still prevalent. Haringey is the borough hardest hit by drug crime and has witnessed a 15% increase in offences in the past 2 years, followed by Havering at 10%.

Alarmingly, sexual offences continue to increase across London, with hotspot Westminster topping the list for frequency of sexual crime (1,600 reports in 2023).

Bromley’s figures have shot up dramatically in the past two years, making it the borough facing the largest year-on-year increase in sexual offence crime (up 23% since January 2021). This is followed by Islington (19%) and Bexley (18%).

Nick Titchener, criminal defence solicitor at London law firm Lawtons Solicitors, says:

It’s no surprise that the city centre of Westminster is the prime spot for crime. The area attracts a large number of tourists and visitors each month making it a lucrative target for criminals, particularly theft and violence. Although the figures naturally reflect national trends which are rising due to less crime recorded during the pandemic, it is still a concern that all types of offences are on the rise. Crime and public safety will be one of the major issues at the next general election and is a top priority for councils to keep communities safe.

The biggest piece of advice is to be aware of your surroundings. Keep your valuables close and if you’re heading out late at night, It’s a good idea to plan how you will get home by checking the time of your last train, bus or tube back to your accommodation.