Crime in Belfairs: statistics, rates and trends
428 crimes were recorded in Belfairs in the 12 months to August 2026, 46.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (183), other theft (50) and anti-social behaviour (36) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,197th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Belfairs | Southend-on-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 428 | 21,255 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 46.1 | 114.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,293 | 185,256 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Belfairs peaked in the year to August 2020 (794 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (408). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 38%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 428 | 46.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 408 | 43.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 454 | 48.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 495 | 53.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 624 | 67.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 624 | 67.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 794 | 85.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 720 | 77.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 690 | 74.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 35 |
| July 2026 | 51 |
| June 2026 | 43 |
| May 2026 | 50 |
| April 2026 | 38 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 39 |
| January 2026 | 24 |
| December 2025 | 30 |
| November 2025 | 28 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| September 2025 | 28 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (75% below) and public order (53% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 29 to 50 and anti-social behaviour rose from 23 to 36, while vehicle crime fell from 52 to 35.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 183 | 19.7 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Other theft | 50 | 5.4 | 6.4 | +72% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 36 | 3.9 | 15.4 | +57% |
| Vehicle crime | 35 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -33% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 3.2 | 6.7 | +36% |
| Public order | 29 | 3.1 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Burglary | 25 | 2.7 | 3.6 | +19% |
| Shoplifting | 14 | 1.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Drugs | 11 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Belfairs; the highest is Chalkwell, Southend-on-Sea (136.9 per 1,000) and the lowest West Leigh (34.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Belfairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastwood Park | 404 | 41.5 | -10% |
| Blenheim Park | 734 | 65.2 | +42% |
| West Leigh | 325 | 34.2 | -26% |
| Leigh | 669 | 66.3 | +44% |
| St Laurence | 754 | 70.3 | +53% |
| Westborough | 656 | 56.6 | +23% |
| Prittlewell | 1,228 | 109.3 | +137% |
| Chalkwell | 1,391 | 136.9 | +197% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Belfairs over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (39).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 39 |
| On or near Supermarket | 23 |
| On or near Parking Area | 19 |
| On or near Wood Farm Close | 18 |
| On or near The Gables | 17 |
| On or near Bradford Bury | 15 |
| On or near Little Hays | 15 |
| On or near Eastwood Road North | 12 |
| On or near Kenholme | 12 |
| On or near Danescroft Drive | 10 |
Of the 392 crimes in Belfairs with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 36 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 142 | 36.2% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 140 | 35.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 30 | 7.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 4.8% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 15 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 2.3% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 6 | 1.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Belfairs has an estimated population of 9,293 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (29%, against 19%), more retired residents (33%, against 22%) and fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Belfairs average decile 6.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Belfairs | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 32.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Belfairs a safe place to live?
Belfairs recorded 46.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,197th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Belfairs?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 183 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (50).
Is crime in Belfairs going up or down?
Recorded crime in Belfairs was up 5% on the year before: 428 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 408 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Belfairs?
About 9,293 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Belfairs?
Belfairs is policed by Essex.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.