Newham, Westminster, Croydon top London arson figures
Metropolitan Police data for September 2026 shows thousands of offences recorded across the capital.
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Uses Metropolitan Police data and quotes Commander Helen Flanagan, providing named source and dataset.
Higher is stronger
Mixes data with editorial comments and lacks analysis of implications.
Higher is stronger
Headline 'Shocking' overstates a routine data release.
Lower is better
Newham recorded the highest number of arson and criminal damage offences in September 2026, with 189 incidents reported to the Metropolitan Police. Westminster followed with 186 offences, and Croydon recorded 185 incidents during the same month. Across the entirety of London, a total of 4,324 offences in this category were logged.
Borough breakdown and rates
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Further Metropolitan Police data revealed significant variations between boroughs. Lambeth and Tower Hamlets each recorded 176 offences, while Greenwich had 173 and Hillingdon 168. Barnet recorded 151 offences, and Brent had 152. At the lower end, Kingston upon Thames reported 65 offences, the lowest figure among the boroughs detailed. Richmond upon Thames had 66, with Sutton and Harrow both recording 88 offences, the same total as Merton.
When considering the rate per 1,000 residents, Westminster showed the highest incidence with 0.7 offences. Several boroughs, including Camden, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Kensington and Chelsea, and Tower Hamlets, recorded a rate of 0.6 per 1,000 people. Newham, despite its high overall number of offences, had a rate of 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
Yearly trends
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Despite the number of incidents in September 2026, Metropolitan Police data indicates a downward trend over a longer period. Offences in the arson and criminal damage category fell by 3.7 per cent in the 12 months ending September 2026, when compared with the preceding 12-month period ending September 2025.
Questions this report answers
+How many arson and criminal damage offences were recorded in London in September 2026?
The Metropolitan Police recorded a total of 4,324 offences under the arson and criminal damage category across London in September 2026. This figure highlights the scale of incidents during that month.
+Which boroughs had the most offences?
Newham recorded the highest number of offences with 189 incidents. Westminster followed closely with 186, and Croydon reported 185. These three boroughs had the highest totals for arson and criminal damage in September 2026.
+Did arson and criminal damage offences increase or decrease over the past year?
The Metropolitan Police dashboard shows a decrease in arson and criminal damage offences. Over the 12 months ending September 2026, there was a 3.7 per cent fall in these offences compared to the previous 12-month period.
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