Crime in Southchurch: statistics, rates and trends
1,003 crimes were recorded in Southchurch in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.9 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 26% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Southchurch at a glance
- Crime trends in Southchurch
- Types of crime in Southchurch
- Southchurch compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Southchurch
- What happened after crimes were reported in Southchurch
- Demographics of Southchurch
- Questions about crime in Southchurch
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (479), anti-social behaviour (121) and other theft (72) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,313th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Southchurch | Southend-on-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,003 | 21,255 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.9 | 114.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +26% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 10,356 | 185,256 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Southchurch peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,441 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (797). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,003 | 96.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 797 | 77.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 822 | 79.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,006 | 97.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,157 | 111.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,286 | 124.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,291 | 124.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,441 | 139.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,201 | 116.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 100 |
| July 2026 | 108 |
| June 2026 | 93 |
| May 2026 | 85 |
| April 2026 | 78 |
| March 2026 | 80 |
| February 2026 | 79 |
| January 2026 | 80 |
| December 2025 | 71 |
| November 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 86 |
| September 2025 | 64 |
Compared with England and Wales, Southchurch recorded notably more drugs (42% above the national rate) and violence and sexual offences (35% above the national rate), and notably less public order (26% below) and anti-social behaviour (24% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 78 to 121 and vehicle crime rose from 43 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 479 | 46.3 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 121 | 11.7 | 15.4 | +55% |
| Other theft | 72 | 7.0 | 6.4 | +44% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 6.3 | 6.7 | +23% |
| Vehicle crime | 63 | 6.1 | 5.0 | +47% |
| Public order | 51 | 4.9 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Drugs | 48 | 4.6 | 3.3 | +41% |
| Burglary | 40 | 3.9 | 3.6 | +38% |
| Other crime | 25 | 2.4 | 2.1 | +25% |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.7 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Southchurch; the highest is Milton, Southend-on-Sea (295.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Thorpe, Southend-on-Sea (62.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Southchurch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorpe | 567 | 62.1 | -36% |
| St. Luke's | 1,087 | 95.2 | -2% |
| Kursaal | 2,835 | 225.4 | +133% |
| West Shoebury | 861 | 85.9 | -11% |
| Victoria | 3,629 | 257.3 | +166% |
| Shoeburyness | 1,042 | 88.9 | -8% |
| Milton | 3,642 | 295.5 | +205% |
| Prittlewell | 1,228 | 109.3 | +13% |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Southchurch over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Sherwood Way” (74).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Sherwood Way | 74 |
| On or near Whittingham Avenue | 58 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 57 |
| On or near Parking Area | 47 |
| On or near Southchurch Rectory Chase | 39 |
| On or near Fernbrook Avenue | 36 |
| On or near Archer Avenue | 33 |
| On or near Dalmatia Road | 33 |
| On or near Hamstel Road | 29 |
| On or near Locksley Close | 29 |
Of the 882 crimes in Southchurch with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 121 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 369 | 41.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 241 | 27.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 79 | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 56 | 6.3% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 47 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 32 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 25 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 1.4% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 11 | 1.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Southchurch has an estimated population of 10,356 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.5%, against 7.9%), more retired residents (28%, against 22%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (25%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Southchurch average decile 5.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Southchurch | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 48.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 28.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 64.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 20.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.1 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 31.1% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Southchurch a safe place to live?
Southchurch recorded 96.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,313th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Southchurch?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 479 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (121).
Is crime in Southchurch going up or down?
Recorded crime in Southchurch was up 26% on the year before: 1,003 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 797 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Southchurch?
About 10,356 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Southchurch?
Southchurch 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.