Crime in Mile End, Colchester: statistics, rates and trends
1,766 crimes were recorded in Mile End, Colchester in the 12 months to August 2026, 121.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Mile End, Colchester at a glance
- Crime trends in Mile End, Colchester
- Types of crime in Mile End, Colchester
- Mile End, Colchester compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Mile End, Colchester
- What happened after crimes were reported in Mile End, Colchester
- Demographics of Mile End, Colchester
- Questions about crime in Mile End, Colchester
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (780), anti-social behaviour (223) and shoplifting (154) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 798th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Mile End, Colchester | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,766 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 121.7 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 14,510 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Mile End, Colchester peaked in the year to August 2020 (2,149 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (1,368). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,766 | 121.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,756 | 121.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,527 | 105.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,728 | 119.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,806 | 124.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,097 | 144.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,149 | 148.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,775 | 122.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,368 | 94.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 163 |
| July 2026 | 190 |
| June 2026 | 163 |
| May 2026 | 163 |
| April 2026 | 155 |
| March 2026 | 154 |
| February 2026 | 129 |
| January 2026 | 139 |
| December 2025 | 125 |
| November 2025 | 137 |
| October 2025 | 122 |
| September 2025 | 126 |
Compared with England and Wales, Mile End, Colchester recorded notably more bicycle theft (92% above the national rate), violence and sexual offences (57% above the national rate) and public order (46% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (49% below) and burglary (28% below). On the year before, other theft rose from 70 to 127 and shoplifting rose from 96 to 154, while bicycle theft fell from 36 to 23 and vehicle crime fell from 80 to 57.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 780 | 53.8 | 34.2 | -13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 223 | 15.4 | 15.4 | +40% |
| Shoplifting | 154 | 10.6 | 8.5 | +60% |
| Public order | 141 | 9.7 | 6.7 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 134 | 9.2 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Other theft | 127 | 8.8 | 6.4 | +81% |
| Vehicle crime | 57 | 3.9 | 5.0 | -29% |
| Burglary | 37 | 2.5 | 3.6 | +28% |
| Other crime | 28 | 1.9 | 2.1 | -3% |
| Drugs | 24 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Bicycle theft | 23 | 1.6 | 0.8 | -36% |
| Robbery | 17 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 10 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Mile End, Colchester; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Rural North (40.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Mile End, Colchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | -38% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +139% |
| St Anne's and St John's | 757 | 69.5 | -43% |
| Lexden and Braiswick | 433 | 47.7 | -61% |
| Rural North | 466 | 40.2 | -67% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | -2% |
| Greenstead | 2,458 | 149.6 | +23% |
| Prettygate | 648 | 55.7 | -54% |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Mile End, Colchester over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Charter Way” (391).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Charter Way | 391 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 160 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 74 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 73 |
| On or near Supermarket | 70 |
| On or near Boxted Road | 55 |
| On or near Chestnut Close | 55 |
| On or near Leech'S Lane | 46 |
| On or near Bradford Drive | 36 |
| On or near Cavell Avenue | 27 |
Of the 1,543 crimes in Mile End, Colchester with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 223 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 608 | 39.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 500 | 32.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 150 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 93 | 6.0% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 76 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 42 | 2.7% | 0.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 1.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Mile End, Colchester has an estimated population of 14,510 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (7.5%, against 18.9%), fewer retired residents (11%, against 22%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (9.3%, against 18.2%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Mile End, Colchester average decile 7.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Mile End, Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 72.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 44.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 9.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Mile End, Colchester a safe place to live?
Mile End, Colchester recorded 121.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 798th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Mile End, Colchester?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 780 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (223).
Is crime in Mile End, Colchester going up or down?
Recorded crime in Mile End, Colchester was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,766 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,756 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Mile End, Colchester?
About 14,510 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.5% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Mile End, Colchester?
Mile End, 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.