Crime in Highwoods: statistics, rates and trends
829 crimes were recorded in Highwoods in the 12 months to August 2026, 76.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Highwoods at a glance
- Crime trends in Highwoods
- Types of crime in Highwoods
- Highwoods compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Highwoods
- What happened after crimes were reported in Highwoods
- Demographics of Highwoods
- Questions about crime in Highwoods
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (329), shoplifting (111) and public order (75) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,978th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Highwoods | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 829 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 76.0 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | 0% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 10,907 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Highwoods peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,128 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (766). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 829 | 76.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 826 | 75.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 801 | 73.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 766 | 70.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 955 | 87.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,010 | 92.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 970 | 88.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,128 | 103.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 925 | 84.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 69 |
| July 2026 | 61 |
| June 2026 | 72 |
| May 2026 | 71 |
| April 2026 | 58 |
| March 2026 | 80 |
| February 2026 | 72 |
| January 2026 | 78 |
| December 2025 | 55 |
| November 2025 | 57 |
| October 2025 | 65 |
| September 2025 | 91 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (56% below) and drugs (44% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 70 to 111 and vehicle crime rose from 35 to 54, while drugs fell from 27 to 20 and criminal damage and arson fell from 76 to 60.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 329 | 30.2 | 34.2 | -15% |
| Shoplifting | 111 | 10.2 | 8.5 | +59% |
| Public order | 75 | 6.9 | 6.7 | +36% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 74 | 6.8 | 15.4 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 60 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -21% |
| Vehicle crime | 54 | 5.0 | 5.0 | +54% |
| Other theft | 51 | 4.7 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Drugs | 20 | 1.8 | 3.3 | -26% |
| Burglary | 19 | 1.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 1.0 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 0.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Highwoods; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Rural North (40.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Highwoods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | +60% |
| St Anne's and St John's | 757 | 69.5 | -9% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +282% |
| Greenstead | 2,458 | 149.6 | +97% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +57% |
| Rural North | 466 | 40.2 | -47% |
| Lexden and Braiswick | 433 | 47.7 | -37% |
| Old Heath and The Hythe | 1,007 | 84.9 | +12% |
The 10 locations below account for 51% of the crime recorded in Highwoods over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (166).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 166 |
| On or near De Grey Road | 60 |
| On or near Princess Drive | 60 |
| On or near Elizabeth Close | 24 |
| On or near Bignalls Croft | 21 |
| On or near Hanningfield Way | 21 |
| On or near Weetmans Drive | 20 |
| On or near Regents Close | 19 |
| On or near Highclere Road | 18 |
| On or near Attwood Close | 17 |
Of the 755 crimes in Highwoods with a recorded outcome, 36% 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 74 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 272 | 36.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 266 | 35.2% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 58 | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 54 | 7.2% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 29 | 3.8% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 24 | 3.2% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 15 | 2.0% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 15 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Highwoods has an estimated population of 10,907 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (28%, against 20%), a younger population (12%, against 19%) and fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Highwoods average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Highwoods | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 56.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 28.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Highwoods a safe place to live?
Highwoods recorded 76.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,978th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Highwoods?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 329 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (111).
Is crime in Highwoods going up or down?
Recorded crime in Highwoods was almost unchanged on the year before: 829 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 826 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Highwoods?
About 10,907 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 12% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Highwoods?
Highwoods 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.