Crime in Moulsham and Central: statistics, rates and trends
4,072 crimes were recorded in Moulsham and Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 261.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Moulsham and Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Moulsham and Central
- Types of crime in Moulsham and Central
- Moulsham and Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Moulsham and Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Moulsham and Central
- Demographics of Moulsham and Central
- Questions about crime in Moulsham and Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,479), shoplifting (720) and anti-social behaviour (450) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 110th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Moulsham and Central | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,072 | 15,908 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 261.9 | 84.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +8% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 15,549 | 188,803 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Moulsham and Central peaked in the year to August 2019 (4,715 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (3,665). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,072 | 261.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 3,771 | 242.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,020 | 258.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,066 | 261.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,301 | 276.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,665 | 235.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 4,555 | 292.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,715 | 303.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,257 | 273.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 413 |
| July 2026 | 421 |
| June 2026 | 368 |
| May 2026 | 339 |
| April 2026 | 334 |
| March 2026 | 356 |
| February 2026 | 282 |
| January 2026 | 281 |
| December 2025 | 326 |
| November 2025 | 307 |
| October 2025 | 330 |
| September 2025 | 315 |
Compared with England and Wales, Moulsham and Central recorded notably more shoplifting (5.5 times the national rate), drugs (5.2 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (5.1 times the national rate). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 281 to 450 and drugs rose from 218 to 267, while theft from the person fell from 82 to 59 and vehicle crime fell from 86 to 64.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,479 | 95.1 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 720 | 46.3 | 8.5 | +22% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 450 | 28.9 | 15.4 | +60% |
| Public order | 307 | 19.7 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Drugs | 267 | 17.2 | 3.3 | +22% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 221 | 14.2 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Other theft | 217 | 14.0 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Bicycle theft | 65 | 4.2 | 0.8 | -8% |
| Other crime | 65 | 4.2 | 2.1 | -13% |
| Vehicle crime | 64 | 4.1 | 5.0 | -26% |
| Theft from the person | 59 | 3.8 | 1.7 | -28% |
| Burglary | 57 | 3.7 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Robbery | 51 | 3.3 | 1.4 | +16% |
| Possession of weapons | 50 | 3.2 | 1.0 | +6% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Moulsham and Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Moulsham and Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moulsham Lodge | 194 | 34.4 | -87% |
| Waterhouse Farm | 662 | 96.6 | -63% |
| Marconi | 1,279 | 137.1 | -48% |
| Trinity | 547 | 82.3 | -69% |
| Goat Hall | 271 | 44.6 | -83% |
| Great Baddow West | 394 | 60.6 | -77% |
| Great Baddow East | 511 | 58.3 | -78% |
| The Lawns | 191 | 33.8 | -87% |
The 10 locations below account for 76% of the crime recorded in Moulsham and Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Nightclub” (689).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Nightclub | 689 |
| On or near Parking Area | 631 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 490 |
| On or near Park Road | 340 |
| On or near Tindal Square | 278 |
| On or near Police Station | 247 |
| On or near Tindal Street | 128 |
| On or near Supermarket | 120 |
| On or near Bellmead | 98 |
| On or near Friars Walk | 88 |
Of the 3,622 crimes in Moulsham and Central with a recorded outcome, 32% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 13% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 450 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,176 | 32.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,142 | 31.5% | 34.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 459 | 12.7% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 292 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 206 | 5.7% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 182 | 5.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 73 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 31 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 30 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 27 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Moulsham and Central has an estimated population of 15,549 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (36%, against 20%), less social housing (9.4%, against 17.1%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (11%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Moulsham and Central average decile 6.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Moulsham and Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 68.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 46.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 26.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 36.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Moulsham and Central a safe place to live?
Moulsham and Central recorded 261.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 110th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and drugs.
What is the most common crime in Moulsham and Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,479 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (720).
Is crime in Moulsham and Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Moulsham and Central was up 8% on the year before: 4,072 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 3,771 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Moulsham and Central?
About 15,549 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Moulsham and Central?
Moulsham and Central 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.