Crime in Old Heath and The Hythe: statistics, rates and trends
1,030 crimes were recorded in Old Heath and The Hythe in the 12 months to July 2026, 86.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- 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
- Population and deprivation in Old Heath and The Hythe
- Questions about crime in Old Heath and The Hythe
- About this data
1,030 crimes were recorded in Old Heath and The Hythe in the 12 months to July 2026, 86.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 1% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 453 reports (44% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Old Heath and The Hythe has the 1,602nd highest crime rate.
| Measure | Old Heath and The Hythe | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,030 | 18,889 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.8 | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 11,863 | 200,222 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Old Heath and The Hythe was highest in the year to July 2021 (1,763 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2024 (1,002). Over the whole period it fell 27%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 1,030 | 86.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,018 | 85.8 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,002 | 84.5 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,148 | 96.8 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,585 | 133.6 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,763 | 148.6 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,653 | 139.3 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 1,669 | 140.7 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 1,413 | 119.1 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 2025 | 95 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Old Heath and The Hythe over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for bicycle theft.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+71%) and drugs (+64%). The largest falls were in other crime (-50%) and bicycle theft (-33%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 453 | 38.2 | 1.12 | -1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 157 | 13.2 | 0.86 | +71% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 66 | 5.6 | 0.82 | -23% |
| Vehicle crime | 65 | 5.5 | 1.11 | -6% |
| Other theft | 62 | 5.2 | 0.82 | +2% |
| Public order | 54 | 4.6 | 0.69 | -23% |
| Shoplifting | 51 | 4.3 | 0.52 | +0% |
| Drugs | 46 | 3.9 | 1.19 | +64% |
| Burglary | 26 | 2.2 | 0.62 | -19% |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.3 | 0.60 | -50% |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 1.2 | 1.43 | -33% |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 0.8 | 0.78 | +50% |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.7 | 0.50 | -11% |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 0.20 | -20% |
Violence and sexual offences in Old Heath and The Hythe
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 453 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (38.2 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 1% on the year before. It made up 44.0% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Old Heath and The Hythe
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 157 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (13.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 71% on the year before. It made up 15.2% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Old Heath and The Hythe
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 66 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 6.4% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Old Heath and The Hythe
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 65 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.5 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 6.3% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Old Heath and The Hythe
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 62 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 2% on the year before. It made up 6.0% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Old Heath and The Hythe
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 54 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Old Heath and The Hythe
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 51 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 5.0% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Old Heath and The Hythe
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 46 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 64% on the year before. It made up 4.5% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Old Heath and The Hythe
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 26 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 19% on the year before. It made up 2.5% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Old Heath and The Hythe
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Old Heath and The Hythe
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 14 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 33% on the year before. It made up 1.4% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Old Heath and The Hythe
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 9 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 50% on the year before. It made up 0.9% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Old Heath and The Hythe
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Old Heath and The Hythe
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Old Heath and The Hythe, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Old Heath and The Hythe.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Old Heath and The Hythe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berechurch | 1,049 | 88.8 | +2% |
| Greenstead | 2,435 | 148.2 | +71% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,906 | 119.0 | +37% |
| Wivenhoe | 481 | 55.1 | -37% |
| Castle | 3,485 | 287.5 | +231% |
| St Anne's and St John's | 741 | 68.0 | -22% |
| Shrub End | 1,155 | 88.1 | +1% |
| Highwoods | 827 | 75.8 | -13% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Old Heath and The Hythe over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 106 |
| On or near Albany Gardens | 96 |
| On or near Maudlyn Road | 38 |
| On or near Waterside Lane | 34 |
| On or near Cheveling Road | 25 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 25 |
| On or near Stalin Road | 23 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 20 |
| On or near Foresight Road | 19 |
| On or near Farrington Close | 18 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Old Heath and The Hythe over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 346 | 33.6% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 244 | 23.7% |
| Not recorded | 157 | 15.2% |
| Under investigation | 86 | 8.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 59 | 5.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 47 | 4.6% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 2.8% |
| Court result unavailable | 27 | 2.6% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 1.8% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.0% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.4% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.2% |
Old Heath and The Hythe has an estimated population of 11,863. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Old Heath and The Hythe sits in decile 4.2, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Old Heath and The Hythe |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 66.8% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.4% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.1% |
| Private rented homes | 24.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.2 |
Is Old Heath and The Hythe a safe place to live?
Old Heath and The Hythe recorded 86.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Old Heath and The Hythe?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 453 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (157).
Is crime in Old Heath and The Hythe going up or down?
Recorded crime in Old Heath and The Hythe was up 1% on the year before: 1,030 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,018 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Old Heath and The Hythe?
Old Heath and The Hythe is policed by Essex. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Old Heath and The Hythe. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.