Balham vs Barking Riverside

Side-by-side crime comparison: safety scores, categories and trends.

By:
A First Neighbourhood
    8/100
    Balham Metropolitan Police Service
    VS
    B Second Neighbourhood
      7/100
      Barking Riverside Metropolitan Police Service

      Balham vs Barking Riverside Results

      A
      8/100
      High Crime
      Balham
      Metropolitan Police Service
      7,165 crimes / 12m
      ↑4.8% trend
      40.6% resolved
      View full statistics
      VS
      B
      7/100
      High Crime
      Barking Riverside
      Metropolitan Police Service
      2,428 crimes / 12m
      ↑3.5% trend
      30.4% resolved
      View full statistics

      Key Statistics (last 12 months)

      A Balham
      B Barking Riverside
      Safety Score
      8/100 High Crime
      7/100 High Crime
      Total Crimes
      7,165
      2,428
      Crimes (prev 12 months)
      6,835
      2,345
      Crime Trend (vs same month last year)
      ↑4.8%
      ↑3.5%
      Resolution Rate ?
      40.6%
      30.4%

      Crime by Category (last 12 months)

      Number of crimes per category — lower is better

      A Balham
      B Barking Riverside
      Violent Crime
      1,373 ↑10%
      803 ↑0%
      Anti-Social Behaviour
      1,531 ↑11%
      505 ↑29%
      Other Theft
      604 ↓7%
      173 ↑26%
      Vehicle Crime
      923 ↓9%
      253 ↓20%
      Burglary
      364 ↓20%
      93 ↓11%
      Criminal Damage & Arson
      325 ↑1%
      147 ↑24%
      Drugs
      208 ↑60%
      100 ↑19%
      Public Order
      331 ↓4%
      103 ↓9%
      Robbery
      190 ↓29%
      90 ↑36%
      Shoplifting
      767 ↑56%
      31 ↓75%
      Theft from Person
      297 ↓11%
      48 ↑45%
      Bicycle Theft
      139 ↑5%
      17 ↑13%
      Possession of Weapons
      32 ↑52%
      17 ↑70%
      Other Crime
      81 ↑59%
      48 ↑60%
      Overall Verdict
      These two areas are very closely matched — the metrics are split evenly between them.
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      Frequently Asked Questions

      Is Balham safer than Barking Riverside?

      Balham has a safety score of 8/100 (High Crime) and recorded 7,165 crimes in the last 12 months. Barking Riverside has a safety score of 7/100 (High Crime) with 2,428 crimes. Balham scores higher on the CrimeRadar safety index.

      What is the crime trend in Balham vs Barking Riverside?

      Balham shows a year-on-year crime trend of +4.8% — meaning total crimes rose compared to the same period the prior year. Barking Riverside shows +3.5% (rising). A downward trend is a positive sign for an area.

      What types of crime are most common in Balham and Barking Riverside?

      In Balham, the most recorded crime category over the last 12 months is Anti-Social Behaviour (1,531 incidents). In Barking Riverside, it is Violent Crime (803 incidents). The full breakdown by category is shown in the chart above.

      How does anti-social behaviour compare between Balham and Barking Riverside?

      Balham recorded 1,531 anti-social behaviour incidents in the last 12 months, while Barking Riverside recorded 505. Anti-social behaviour includes rowdiness, nuisance and disorder that disrupts daily life but may not result in a criminal charge.

      How do violent crime levels compare in Balham vs Barking Riverside?

      Violent crime in Balham totalled 1,373 incidents over the last 12 months, compared to 803 in Barking Riverside. Violent crime includes assault with and without injury, harassment, and public order offences.

      How many crimes were recorded in Balham and Barking Riverside in the previous year?

      In the 12 months prior to the most recent period, Balham recorded 6,835 crimes (now 7,165, a change of +4.8%). Barking Riverside recorded 2,345 crimes previously (now 2,428, +3.5%).

      What is the resolution rate for crimes in Balham and Barking Riverside?

      The resolution rate is the percentage of recorded crimes that resulted in a formal outcome — such as a charge, caution, penalty notice, or community resolution. Balham has a resolution rate of 40.6% and Barking Riverside has 30.4%. A higher rate indicates police are more frequently resolving reported crimes in that area.

      Which police force covers Balham and Barking Riverside?

      Balham falls within the Metropolitan Police Service boundary. Barking Riverside is covered by Metropolitan Police Service. Each force operates independently and publishes crime data through the national UK Police API.

      What data is used to compare Balham and Barking Riverside?

      CrimeRadar uses 36 months of official recorded crime data from the UK Police API, updated each month. The safety score combines crime volume relative to the force average, year-on-year trend direction, and resolution rate. All figures are based on crimes recorded within each police-defined neighbourhood boundary.

      Can I see Balham or Barking Riverside on a crime map?

      Yes — CrimeRadar has individual crime map pages for both Balham and Barking Riverside. You can view interactive maps, monthly trends and hotspot locations by visiting each neighbourhood's full statistics page linked above.

      City rankings are based on official police force data areas, which cover cities and surrounding regions.