Crime in Castle, Colchester: statistics, rates and trends
3,520 crimes were recorded in Castle, Colchester in the 12 months to August 2026, 290.4 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Castle, Colchester at a glance
- Crime trends in Castle, Colchester
- Types of crime in Castle, Colchester
- Castle, Colchester compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Castle, Colchester
- What happened after crimes were reported in Castle, Colchester
- Demographics of Castle, Colchester
- Questions about crime in Castle, Colchester
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,463), shoplifting (461) and anti-social behaviour (423) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 77th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Castle, Colchester | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,520 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 290.4 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 12,122 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Castle, Colchester of any year here (3,520 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 32%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,520 | 290.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,590 | 296.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,001 | 330.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,123 | 340.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,746 | 391.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,774 | 311.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,048 | 333.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,456 | 450.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 5,147 | 424.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 364 |
| July 2026 | 381 |
| June 2026 | 343 |
| May 2026 | 296 |
| April 2026 | 301 |
| March 2026 | 307 |
| February 2026 | 233 |
| January 2026 | 228 |
| December 2025 | 242 |
| November 2025 | 248 |
| October 2025 | 291 |
| September 2025 | 286 |
Compared with England and Wales, Castle, Colchester recorded notably more bicycle theft (5.9 times the national rate), shoplifting (4.5 times the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (3.5 times the national rate). On the year before, bicycle theft fell from 119 to 59 and theft from the person fell from 60 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,463 | 120.7 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 461 | 38.0 | 8.5 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 423 | 34.9 | 15.4 | -1% |
| Public order | 251 | 20.7 | 6.7 | -7% |
| Other theft | 230 | 19.0 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 199 | 16.4 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Drugs | 107 | 8.8 | 3.3 | -23% |
| Vehicle crime | 93 | 7.7 | 5.0 | -23% |
| Burglary | 70 | 5.8 | 3.6 | -15% |
| Bicycle theft | 59 | 4.9 | 0.8 | -50% |
| Robbery | 55 | 4.5 | 1.4 | +4% |
| Theft from the person | 42 | 3.5 | 1.7 | -30% |
| Other crime | 38 | 3.1 | 2.1 | -14% |
| Possession of weapons | 29 | 2.4 | 1.0 | -15% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Castle, Colchester has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Castle, Colchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | -59% |
| St Anne's and St John's | 757 | 69.5 | -76% |
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | -58% |
| Greenstead | 2,458 | 149.6 | -48% |
| Old Heath and The Hythe | 1,007 | 84.9 | -71% |
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | -74% |
| Shrub End | 1,138 | 86.8 | -70% |
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | -70% |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Castle, Colchester over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (332).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 332 |
| On or near Nightclub | 166 |
| On or near St Nicholas Street | 152 |
| On or near Trinity Street | 145 |
| On or near Conference/Exhibition Centre | 143 |
| On or near Parking Area | 120 |
| On or near Culver Street West | 93 |
| On or near Vineyard Street | 83 |
| On or near Supermarket | 81 |
| On or near George Street | 76 |
Of the 3,097 crimes in Castle, Colchester with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 423 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,135 | 36.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,107 | 35.7% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 298 | 9.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 182 | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 113 | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 76 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 53 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 49 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 45 | 1.5% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 31 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 7 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Castle, Colchester has an estimated population of 12,122 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (42%, against 20%), more households without a car (34%, against 23%) and less social housing (11%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Castle, Colchester average decile 5.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Castle, Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 40.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 34.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 46.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 42.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Castle, Colchester a safe place to live?
Castle, Colchester recorded 290.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 77th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Castle, Colchester?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,463 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (461).
Is crime in Castle, Colchester going up or down?
Recorded crime in Castle, Colchester was down 2% on the year before: 3,520 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,590 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Castle, Colchester?
About 12,122 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Castle, Colchester?
Castle, Colchester 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.