Hackney Tops London Bike Theft League Table

Hackney has emerged as the London area with the highest likelihood of bicycle theft, based on comparative scores for the year ending March 2026. The east London borough registered a score of 3.83, placing it at the top of the Metropolitan Police force area table. This figure indicates a significantly higher rate compared to the force average of 1.61.

Following Hackney, the City of Westminster recorded a score of 3.55, and Southwark registered 3.18. Other boroughs with high comparative scores include Camden (3.16), Islington (2.99), and Tower Hamlets and Hammersmith and Fulham, both at 2.85. Lambeth followed with 2.52.

Lowest Scores and Force Average

The data also highlights areas with the lowest reported bicycle theft rates. Bexley recorded the lowest score at 0.28. Other boroughs with low scores include Sutton and Harrow (0.39), Havering (0.40), and Bromley and Barnet (0.43). Croydon recorded 0.45.

Several other boroughs scored below the force average of 1.61, including Newham (1.41), Waltham Forest (1.26), and Haringey (1.00). Further down the list were Ealing (0.92) and Greenwich (0.86), with Brent at 0.78 and Barking and Dagenham at 0.57.

Recent Incidents

Recent events underscore the ongoing issue of bicycle theft. On June 16, a man was captured on CCTV in the City of London attempting to cut through a bicycle lock with an angle grinder on Cheapside. He was later approached by patrolling officers.

In a separate incident, a woman in Canning Town was reunited with her stolen distinctive Brompton bicycle. The bike had been taken on June 27. Its new owner used artificial intelligence to trace the bicycle's serial number, leading to its recovery after an online appeal.