Crime in Lexden and Braiswick: statistics, rates and trends
433 crimes were recorded in Lexden and Braiswick in the 12 months to August 2026, 47.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Lexden and Braiswick at a glance
- Crime trends in Lexden and Braiswick
- Types of crime in Lexden and Braiswick
- Lexden and Braiswick compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Lexden and Braiswick
- What happened after crimes were reported in Lexden and Braiswick
- Demographics of Lexden and Braiswick
- Questions about crime in Lexden and Braiswick
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (200), anti-social behaviour (46) and other theft (40) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,120th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Lexden and Braiswick | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 433 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 47.7 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 9,085 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the most recorded crime in Lexden and Braiswick of any year here (433 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 433 | 47.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 425 | 46.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 372 | 40.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 355 | 39.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 289 | 31.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 345 | 38.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 362 | 39.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 358 | 39.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 348 | 38.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 42 |
| July 2026 | 51 |
| June 2026 | 38 |
| May 2026 | 34 |
| April 2026 | 43 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 26 |
| January 2026 | 33 |
| December 2025 | 31 |
| November 2025 | 29 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| September 2025 | 34 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (67% below) and anti-social behaviour (67% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 23 to 46 and other theft rose from 30 to 40, while criminal damage and arson fell from 35 to 24 and public order fell from 30 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 200 | 22.0 | 34.2 | -3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 46 | 5.1 | 15.4 | +100% |
| Other theft | 40 | 4.4 | 6.4 | +33% |
| Vehicle crime | 28 | 3.1 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 2.8 | 8.5 | -4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 24 | 2.6 | 6.7 | -31% |
| Public order | 23 | 2.5 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Burglary | 18 | 2.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.1 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Lexden and Braiswick; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Rural North (40.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lexden and Braiswick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prettygate | 648 | 55.7 | +17% |
| Stanway | 872 | 86.1 | +81% |
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | +155% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +509% |
| Rural North | 466 | 40.2 | -16% |
| Shrub End | 1,138 | 86.8 | +82% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +151% |
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | +59% |
The 10 locations below account for 41% of the crime recorded in Lexden and Braiswick over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Armoury Road” (34).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Armoury Road | 34 |
| On or near Supermarket | 27 |
| On or near Fiddlers Folly | 21 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 16 |
| On or near Ruth King Close | 16 |
| On or near New Kiln Road | 15 |
| On or near Chapel Road | 12 |
| On or near Farm Drive | 12 |
| On or near Mumford Close | 12 |
| On or near Abbotts Lane | 11 |
Of the 387 crimes in Lexden and Braiswick with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 46 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 139 | 35.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 125 | 32.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 41 | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 4.9% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 14 | 3.6% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 2.3% | 0.6% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 1 | 0.3% | 3.1% |
Lexden and Braiswick has an estimated population of 9,085 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.6%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (10%, against 23%) and less private renting (13%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lexden and Braiswick average decile 8.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Lexden and Braiswick | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 39.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lexden and Braiswick a safe place to live?
Lexden and Braiswick recorded 47.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,120th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Lexden and Braiswick?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 200 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (46).
Is crime in Lexden and Braiswick going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lexden and Braiswick was up 2% on the year before: 433 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 425 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lexden and Braiswick?
About 9,085 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lexden and Braiswick?
Lexden and Braiswick 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.