Crime in Prettygate: statistics, rates and trends
648 crimes were recorded in Prettygate in the 12 months to August 2026, 55.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Prettygate at a glance
- Crime trends in Prettygate
- Types of crime in Prettygate
- Prettygate compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Prettygate
- What happened after crimes were reported in Prettygate
- Demographics of Prettygate
- Questions about crime in Prettygate
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (321), anti-social behaviour (59) and vehicle crime (54) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,798th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Prettygate | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 648 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 55.7 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 11,638 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Prettygate peaked in the year to August 2021 (907 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (569). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 648 | 55.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 613 | 52.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 641 | 55.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 569 | 48.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 798 | 68.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 907 | 77.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 838 | 72.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 872 | 74.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 823 | 70.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 71 |
| July 2026 | 56 |
| June 2026 | 49 |
| May 2026 | 49 |
| April 2026 | 41 |
| March 2026 | 47 |
| February 2026 | 45 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 52 |
| November 2025 | 57 |
| October 2025 | 75 |
| September 2025 | 52 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (73% below) and anti-social behaviour (67% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 30 to 54 and anti-social behaviour rose from 33 to 59, while public order fell from 52 to 37 and shoplifting fell from 37 to 27.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 321 | 27.6 | 34.2 | +3% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 59 | 5.1 | 15.4 | +79% |
| Vehicle crime | 54 | 4.6 | 5.0 | +80% |
| Other theft | 42 | 3.6 | 6.4 | +17% |
| Public order | 37 | 3.2 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 34 | 2.9 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Burglary | 30 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +25% |
| Shoplifting | 27 | 2.3 | 8.5 | -27% |
| Other crime | 15 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 0.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Prettygate; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Lexden and Braiswick (47.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Prettygate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanway | 872 | 86.1 | +55% |
| Shrub End | 1,138 | 86.8 | +56% |
| Lexden and Braiswick | 433 | 47.7 | -14% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +115% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +422% |
| Marks Tey and Layer | 732 | 68.4 | +23% |
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | +55% |
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | +119% |
The 10 locations below account for 44% of the crime recorded in Prettygate over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hargood Close” (50).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hargood Close | 50 |
| On or near Redmill | 48 |
| On or near Supermarket | 45 |
| On or near The Chase | 31 |
| On or near Nash Close | 22 |
| On or near Rembrandt Way | 22 |
| On or near B1022 | 18 |
| On or near Trafalgar Road | 18 |
| On or near Back Lane | 16 |
| On or near King Coel Road | 15 |
Of the 589 crimes in Prettygate with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 59 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 249 | 42.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 164 | 27.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 60 | 10.2% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 38 | 6.5% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 2.0% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Prettygate has an estimated population of 11,638 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (7.5%, against 17.1%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Prettygate average decile 8.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Prettygate | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 29.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 81.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 7.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Prettygate a safe place to live?
Prettygate recorded 55.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,798th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Prettygate?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 321 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (59).
Is crime in Prettygate going up or down?
Recorded crime in Prettygate was up 6% on the year before: 648 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 613 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Prettygate?
About 11,638 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Prettygate?
Prettygate 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.