Safety index · Lewisham, London · data through April 2026
Is Sydenham safe?
Sydenham records more reported crime than most London neighbourhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 38 out of 100 — 7 points above the Inner London median of 31, ranking 43rd of 248 Inner London areas — based on 200 incidents reported to the police within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre (data through April 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (27% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 54 · 27% | |
| Anti-social behaviour | 46 · 23% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 15 · 8% | |
| Robbery | 9 · 5% | |
| Vehicle crime | 20 · 10% | |
| Public order | 12 · 6% |
Walking in Sydenham at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Forest Hill42/100 · Elevated
- Perry Vale40/100 · Elevated
- Dulwich Wood45/100 · Elevated
- Gipsy Hill38/100 · Elevated
- Bellingham37/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Sydenham safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 38/100). At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a short detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Sydenham?
Violent crime — 54 of 200 incidents (27%) reported within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre through April 2026.
How is the Sydenham safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each police-recorded incident by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre, and normalises against national crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety.