Preston vs South Croydon

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

By:
A First Neighbourhood
    7/100
    Preston Metropolitan Police Service
    VS
    B Second Neighbourhood
      5/100
      South Croydon Metropolitan Police Service

      Preston vs South Croydon Results

      A
      7/100
      High Crime
      Preston
      Metropolitan Police Service
      5,375 crimes / 12m
      ↑5.2% trend
      32.1% resolved
      View full statistics
      VS
      B
      5/100
      High Crime
      South Croydon
      Metropolitan Police Service
      3,342 crimes / 12m
      ↑13.2% trend
      27.4% resolved
      View full statistics

      Key Statistics (last 12 months)

      A Preston
      B South Croydon
      Safety Score
      7/100 High Crime
      5/100 High Crime
      Total Crimes
      5,375
      3,342
      Crimes (prev 12 months)
      5,109
      2,952
      Crime Trend (vs same month last year)
      ↑5.2%
      ↑13.2%
      Resolution Rate ?
      32.1%
      27.4%

      Crime by Category (last 12 months)

      Number of crimes per category — lower is better

      A Preston
      B South Croydon
      Violent Crime
      1,478 ↑5%
      882 ↑13%
      Anti-Social Behaviour
      1,042 ↓2%
      650 ↑27%
      Other Theft
      444 ↑0%
      206 ↑18%
      Vehicle Crime
      308 ↓6%
      319 ↑32%
      Burglary
      190 ↑6%
      156 ↓13%
      Criminal Damage & Arson
      237 ↑14%
      216 ↑25%
      Drugs
      464 ↑72%
      167 ↓60%
      Public Order
      280 ↑6%
      170 ↑34%
      Robbery
      180 ↑45%
      52 ↓24%
      Shoplifting
      203 ↓20%
      386 ↑135%
      Theft from Person
      449 ↓2%
      54 ↑59%
      Bicycle Theft
      26 ↓26%
      11 ↓8%
      Possession of Weapons
      29 ↑61%
      19 ↑27%
      Other Crime
      45 ↓10%
      54 ↑8%
      Overall Verdict
      A Preston is the safer choice — scoring 7/100 vs 5/100 and winning 3 out of 4 key metrics.
      3/4 metrics won
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      Frequently Asked Questions

      Is Preston safer than South Croydon?

      Preston has a safety score of 7/100 (High Crime) and recorded 5,375 crimes in the last 12 months. South Croydon has a safety score of 5/100 (High Crime) with 3,342 crimes. Preston scores higher on the CrimeRadar safety index.

      What is the crime trend in Preston vs South Croydon?

      Preston shows a year-on-year crime trend of +5.2% — meaning total crimes rose compared to the same period the prior year. South Croydon shows +13.2% (rising). A downward trend is a positive sign for an area.

      What types of crime are most common in Preston and South Croydon?

      In Preston, the most recorded crime category over the last 12 months is Violent Crime (1,478 incidents). In South Croydon, it is Violent Crime (882 incidents). The full breakdown by category is shown in the chart above.

      How does anti-social behaviour compare between Preston and South Croydon?

      Preston recorded 1,042 anti-social behaviour incidents in the last 12 months, while South Croydon recorded 650. 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 Preston vs South Croydon?

      Violent crime in Preston totalled 1,478 incidents over the last 12 months, compared to 882 in South Croydon. Violent crime includes assault with and without injury, harassment, and public order offences.

      How many crimes were recorded in Preston and South Croydon in the previous year?

      In the 12 months prior to the most recent period, Preston recorded 5,109 crimes (now 5,375, a change of +5.2%). South Croydon recorded 2,952 crimes previously (now 3,342, +13.2%).

      What is the resolution rate for crimes in Preston and South Croydon?

      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. Preston has a resolution rate of 32.1% and South Croydon has 27.4%. A higher rate indicates police are more frequently resolving reported crimes in that area.

      Which police force covers Preston and South Croydon?

      Preston falls within the Metropolitan Police Service boundary. South Croydon 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 Preston and South Croydon?

      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 Preston or South Croydon on a crime map?

      Yes — CrimeRadar has individual crime map pages for both Preston and South Croydon. 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.