Crime in Greenstead: statistics, rates and trends
2,458 crimes were recorded in Greenstead in the 12 months to August 2026, 149.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 20% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Greenstead at a glance
- Crime trends in Greenstead
- Types of crime in Greenstead
- Greenstead compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Greenstead
- What happened after crimes were reported in Greenstead
- Demographics of Greenstead
- Questions about crime in Greenstead
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,074), anti-social behaviour (233) and shoplifting (178) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 442nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Greenstead | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,458 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 149.6 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +20% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 16,434 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Greenstead peaked in the year to August 2021 (2,793 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (1,933). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,458 | 149.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,049 | 124.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,933 | 117.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,265 | 137.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,638 | 160.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,793 | 170.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,474 | 150.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,287 | 139.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,262 | 137.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 181 |
| July 2026 | 242 |
| June 2026 | 214 |
| May 2026 | 216 |
| April 2026 | 206 |
| March 2026 | 217 |
| February 2026 | 191 |
| January 2026 | 213 |
| December 2025 | 195 |
| November 2025 | 201 |
| October 2025 | 197 |
| September 2025 | 185 |
Compared with England and Wales, Greenstead recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.7 times the national rate), possession of weapons (2.3 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (2.0 times the national rate). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 94 to 164 and burglary rose from 52 to 81, while bicycle theft fell from 49 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,074 | 65.4 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 233 | 14.2 | 15.4 | +40% |
| Shoplifting | 178 | 10.8 | 8.5 | -9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 176 | 10.7 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Vehicle crime | 164 | 10.0 | 5.0 | +74% |
| Public order | 148 | 9.0 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Other theft | 144 | 8.8 | 6.4 | +29% |
| Burglary | 81 | 4.9 | 3.6 | +56% |
| Drugs | 81 | 4.9 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Other crime | 52 | 3.2 | 2.1 | +33% |
| Robbery | 39 | 2.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 37 | 2.3 | 0.8 | -24% |
| Possession of weapons | 36 | 2.2 | 1.0 | +24% |
| Theft from the person | 15 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Greenstead; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Wivenhoe, Colchester (57.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Greenstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Anne's and St John's | 757 | 69.5 | -54% |
| Old Heath and The Hythe | 1,007 | 84.9 | -43% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +94% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | -20% |
| Wivenhoe | 503 | 57.6 | -61% |
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | -49% |
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | -42% |
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | -19% |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Greenstead over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (306).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 306 |
| On or near Avon Way | 175 |
| On or near Acacia Avenue | 61 |
| On or near Caelum Drive | 60 |
| On or near Hunwicke Road | 54 |
| On or near St Andrew'S Avenue | 42 |
| On or near Quayside Drive | 41 |
| On or near Linden Close | 39 |
| On or near Willingham Way | 39 |
| On or near Hainault Close | 38 |
Of the 2,225 crimes in Greenstead with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 233 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 939 | 42.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 704 | 31.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 173 | 7.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 171 | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 73 | 3.3% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 62 | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 40 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 30 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 24 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Greenstead has an estimated population of 16,434 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (31.2%, against 7.9%), more unemployed residents (6.9%, against 3.4%) and more social housing (32%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Greenstead average decile 3.3 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Greenstead | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 45.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 31.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 23.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 35.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 36.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 31.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.3 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.7% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Greenstead a safe place to live?
Greenstead recorded 149.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 442nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Greenstead?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,074 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (233).
Is crime in Greenstead going up or down?
Recorded crime in Greenstead was up 20% on the year before: 2,458 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,049 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Greenstead?
About 16,434 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Greenstead?
Greenstead 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.