Crime in St Anne's and St John's: statistics, rates and trends
757 crimes were recorded in St Anne's and St John's in the 12 months to August 2026, 69.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 16% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Anne's and St John's at a glance
- Crime trends in St Anne's and St John's
- Types of crime in St Anne's and St John's
- St Anne's and St John's compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Anne's and St John's
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Anne's and St John's
- Demographics of St Anne's and St John's
- Questions about crime in St Anne's and St John's
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (328), anti-social behaviour (86) and vehicle crime (67) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,252nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | St Anne's and St John's | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 757 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 69.5 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +16% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 10,896 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Anne's and St John's peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,016 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (598). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 2%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 757 | 69.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 652 | 59.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 598 | 54.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 732 | 67.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 786 | 72.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,016 | 93.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 821 | 75.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 717 | 65.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 774 | 71.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 72 |
| July 2026 | 63 |
| June 2026 | 65 |
| May 2026 | 75 |
| April 2026 | 59 |
| March 2026 | 61 |
| February 2026 | 54 |
| January 2026 | 65 |
| December 2025 | 73 |
| November 2025 | 66 |
| October 2025 | 62 |
| September 2025 | 42 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and criminal damage and arson (50% below) and anti-social behaviour (49% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 33 to 67 and anti-social behaviour rose from 45 to 86, while criminal damage and arson fell from 56 to 37.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 328 | 30.1 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 86 | 7.9 | 15.4 | +91% |
| Vehicle crime | 67 | 6.1 | 5.0 | +103% |
| Public order | 58 | 5.3 | 6.7 | +81% |
| Shoplifting | 53 | 4.9 | 8.5 | -12% |
| Other theft | 40 | 3.7 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 37 | 3.4 | 6.7 | -34% |
| Burglary | 32 | 2.9 | 3.6 | +23% |
| Other crime | 21 | 1.9 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Drugs | 17 | 1.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than St Anne's and St John's; the highest is Castle, Colchester (290.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Wivenhoe, Colchester (57.6).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Anne's and St John's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenstead | 2,458 | 149.6 | +115% |
| Highwoods | 829 | 76.0 | +9% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +318% |
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | +75% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +72% |
| Old Heath and The Hythe | 1,007 | 84.9 | +22% |
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | +24% |
| Wivenhoe | 503 | 57.6 | -17% |
The 10 locations below account for 39% of the crime recorded in St Anne's and St John's over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (84).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 84 |
| On or near Harwich Road | 33 |
| On or near Ratcliffe Court | 30 |
| On or near Tara Close | 30 |
| On or near Dilbridge Road East | 27 |
| On or near Ayloffe Road | 21 |
| On or near Braemore Close | 20 |
| On or near Compton Road | 18 |
| On or near Paul Spendlove Court | 16 |
| On or near Wilson Marriage Road | 15 |
Of the 671 crimes in St Anne's and St John's with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 86 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 275 | 41.0% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 200 | 29.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 50 | 7.5% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 30 | 4.5% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 19 | 2.8% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 10 | 1.5% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
St Anne's and St John's has an estimated population of 10,896 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (13%, against 20%), fewer students (5.7%, against 7.9%) and an older population (24%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Anne's and St John's average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | St Anne's and St John's | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 24.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 18.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is St Anne's and St John's a safe place to live?
St Anne's and St John's recorded 69.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,252nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in St Anne's and St John's?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 328 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (86).
Is crime in St Anne's and St John's going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Anne's and St John's was up 16% on the year before: 757 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 652 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Anne's and St John's?
About 10,896 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 24% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Anne's and St John's?
St Anne's and St John's 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.