Crime in Old Heath and The Hythe: statistics, rates and trends
1,007 crimes were recorded in Old Heath and The Hythe in the 12 months to August 2026, 84.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Old Heath and The Hythe at a glance
- Crime trends in Old Heath and The Hythe
- Types of crime in Old Heath and The Hythe
- Old Heath and The Hythe compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Old Heath and The Hythe
- What happened after crimes were reported in Old Heath and The Hythe
- Demographics of Old Heath and The Hythe
- Questions about crime in Old Heath and The Hythe
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (437), anti-social behaviour (158) and criminal damage and arson (67) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,674th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Old Heath and The Hythe | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,007 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 84.9 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 11,863 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Old Heath and The Hythe peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,755 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (999). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 28%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,007 | 84.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,033 | 87.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 999 | 84.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,106 | 93.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,560 | 131.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,755 | 147.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,645 | 138.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,722 | 145.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,399 | 117.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 72 |
| July 2026 | 112 |
| June 2026 | 102 |
| May 2026 | 75 |
| April 2026 | 95 |
| March 2026 | 95 |
| February 2026 | 66 |
| January 2026 | 68 |
| December 2025 | 79 |
| November 2025 | 89 |
| October 2025 | 77 |
| September 2025 | 77 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (52% below) and burglary (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 98 to 158 and drugs rose from 30 to 43, while burglary fell from 35 to 25 and criminal damage and arson fell from 84 to 67.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 437 | 36.8 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 158 | 13.3 | 15.4 | +61% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 67 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -20% |
| Other theft | 66 | 5.6 | 6.4 | +12% |
| Vehicle crime | 59 | 5.0 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Public order | 55 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Shoplifting | 48 | 4.0 | 8.5 | -14% |
| Drugs | 43 | 3.6 | 3.3 | +43% |
| Burglary | 25 | 2.1 | 3.6 | -29% |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Old Heath and The Hythe; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Wivenhoe, Colchester (57.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Old Heath and The Hythe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | +2% |
| Greenstead | 2,458 | 149.6 | +76% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +41% |
| Wivenhoe | 503 | 57.6 | -32% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +242% |
| St Anne's and St John's | 757 | 69.5 | -18% |
| Shrub End | 1,138 | 86.8 | +2% |
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | -10% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in Old Heath and The Hythe over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (102).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 102 |
| On or near Albany Gardens | 93 |
| On or near Maudlyn Road | 34 |
| On or near Waterside Lane | 33 |
| On or near Stalin Road | 25 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 24 |
| On or near Cheveling Road | 21 |
| On or near Farrington Close | 20 |
| On or near Foresight Road | 20 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 18 |
Of the 849 crimes in Old Heath and The Hythe with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 158 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 345 | 40.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 232 | 27.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 83 | 9.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 62 | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 44 | 5.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 25 | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Old Heath and The Hythe has an estimated population of 11,863 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (15.7%, against 7.9%), more social housing (22%, against 17%) and fewer retired residents (16%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Old Heath and The Hythe average decile 4.2 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Old Heath and The Hythe | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 15.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 15.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.5% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 23.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Old Heath and The Hythe a safe place to live?
Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 84.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,674th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Old Heath and The Hythe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 437 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (158).
Is crime in Old Heath and The Hythe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Old Heath and The Hythe was down 3% on the year before: 1,007 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,033 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Old Heath and The Hythe?
About 11,863 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Old Heath and The Hythe?
Old Heath and The Hythe 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.