Crime in Burstead: statistics, rates and trends
584 crimes were recorded in Burstead in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 18% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (279), criminal damage and arson (54) and other theft (46) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,274th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Burstead | Basildon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 584 | 19,026 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.4 | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +18% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 13,147 | 193,632 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Burstead peaked in the year to August 2020 (890 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (496). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 584 | 44.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 496 | 37.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 566 | 43.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 610 | 46.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 716 | 54.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 827 | 62.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 890 | 67.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 725 | 55.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 792 | 60.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 46 |
| July 2026 | 42 |
| June 2026 | 52 |
| May 2026 | 64 |
| April 2026 | 62 |
| March 2026 | 36 |
| February 2026 | 45 |
| January 2026 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 49 |
| November 2025 | 60 |
| October 2025 | 44 |
| September 2025 | 38 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (81% below) and public order (54% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 26 to 38 and criminal damage and arson rose from 42 to 54, while vehicle crime fell from 60 to 33.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 279 | 21.2 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 54 | 4.1 | 6.7 | +29% |
| Other theft | 46 | 3.5 | 6.4 | +24% |
| Public order | 40 | 3.0 | 6.7 | +11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 38 | 2.9 | 15.4 | +46% |
| Burglary | 34 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 33 | 2.5 | 5.0 | -45% |
| Drugs | 27 | 2.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 20 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 4 | 0.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Burstead; the highest is St Martin's, Basildon (173.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Billericay East (41.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Burstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billericay East | 504 | 41.1 | -8% |
| Billericay West | 631 | 52.8 | +19% |
| Laindon Park | 1,151 | 81.8 | +84% |
| Castledon & Crouch | 734 | 57.0 | +28% |
| Lee Chapel North | 1,380 | 88.4 | +99% |
| Langdon Hills | 1,520 | 97.2 | +119% |
| Fryerns | 2,656 | 165.5 | +273% |
| St Martin's | 2,552 | 173.9 | +291% |
The 10 locations below account for 37% of the crime recorded in Burstead over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Heath Close” and “West Park Avenue” (33 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Heath Close | 33 |
| On or near West Park Avenue | 33 |
| On or near Roman Way | 25 |
| On or near Ganels Road | 22 |
| On or near Parking Area | 21 |
| On or near Tanfield Drive | 21 |
| On or near Aspen Court | 17 |
| On or near Hickstars Lane | 16 |
| On or near School Road | 16 |
| On or near Langham Crescent | 14 |
Of the 546 crimes in Burstead with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 38 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 230 | 42.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 153 | 28.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 53 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 28 | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 14 | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 12 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Burstead has an estimated population of 13,147 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.3%, against 17.1%), less private renting (9.8%, against 20.3%) and fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Burstead average decile 8.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Burstead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 82.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 9.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Burstead a safe place to live?
Burstead recorded 44.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,274th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Burstead?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 279 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (54).
Is crime in Burstead going up or down?
Recorded crime in Burstead was up 18% on the year before: 584 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 496 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Burstead?
About 13,147 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Burstead?
Burstead 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.