Crime in Shrub End: statistics, rates and trends
1,138 crimes were recorded in Shrub End in the 12 months to August 2026, 86.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shrub End at a glance
- Crime trends in Shrub End
- Types of crime in Shrub End
- Shrub End compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Shrub End
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shrub End
- Demographics of Shrub End
- Questions about crime in Shrub End
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (505), vehicle crime (122) and public order (81) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,608th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Shrub End | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,138 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.8 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +14% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 13,107 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shrub End peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,245 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (834). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,138 | 86.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,001 | 76.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 834 | 63.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 968 | 73.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,083 | 82.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,139 | 86.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,245 | 95.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,236 | 94.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,047 | 79.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 80 |
| July 2026 | 108 |
| June 2026 | 86 |
| May 2026 | 96 |
| April 2026 | 84 |
| March 2026 | 97 |
| February 2026 | 114 |
| January 2026 | 82 |
| December 2025 | 76 |
| November 2025 | 98 |
| October 2025 | 117 |
| September 2025 | 100 |
Compared with England and Wales, Shrub End recorded notably more vehicle crime (87% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (61% below) and drugs (44% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 65 to 122 and other theft rose from 47 to 75, while other crime fell from 32 to 23.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 505 | 38.5 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 122 | 9.3 | 5.0 | +88% |
| Public order | 81 | 6.2 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 79 | 6.0 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Other theft | 75 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +60% |
| Shoplifting | 74 | 5.6 | 8.5 | +30% |
| Burglary | 57 | 4.3 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 52 | 4.0 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Drugs | 24 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 23 | 1.8 | 2.1 | -28% |
| Robbery | 15 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Shrub End; 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 Shrub End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prettygate | 648 | 55.7 | -36% |
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | -1% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +38% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +234% |
| Stanway | 872 | 86.1 | -1% |
| Old Heath and The Hythe | 1,007 | 84.9 | -2% |
| Lexden and Braiswick | 433 | 47.7 | -45% |
| Greenstead | 2,458 | 149.6 | +72% |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Shrub End over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (95).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 95 |
| On or near Berechurch Hall Road | 39 |
| On or near Alport Avenue | 35 |
| On or near Salamanca Way | 34 |
| On or near Goojerat Road | 30 |
| On or near Dapifer Close | 29 |
| On or near Paxman Avenue | 29 |
| On or near Gosbecks Road | 24 |
| On or near Ilex Close | 23 |
| On or near Boadicea Way | 21 |
Of the 1,059 crimes in Shrub End with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 79 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 404 | 38.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 348 | 32.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 88 | 8.3% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 52 | 4.9% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 50 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 41 | 3.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 29 | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 28 | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Shrub End has an estimated population of 13,107 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (9.0%, against 18.9%), more private renting (30%, against 20%) and more children (26%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shrub End average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Shrub End | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 26.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 9.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.8% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 12.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 47.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 30.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shrub End a safe place to live?
Shrub End recorded 86.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,608th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Shrub End?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 505 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (122).
Is crime in Shrub End going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shrub End was up 14% on the year before: 1,138 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,001 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shrub End?
About 13,107 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 9.0% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shrub End?
Shrub End 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.