Crime in St Laurence: statistics, rates and trends
754 crimes were recorded in St Laurence in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in St Laurence at a glance
- Crime trends in St Laurence
- Types of crime in St Laurence
- St Laurence compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in St Laurence
- What happened after crimes were reported in St Laurence
- Demographics of St Laurence
- Questions about crime in St Laurence
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (342), anti-social behaviour (91) and public order (54) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,219th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | St Laurence | Southend-on-Sea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 754 | 21,255 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.3 | 114.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 10,730 | 185,256 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in St Laurence peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,254 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (732). 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 | 754 | 70.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 732 | 68.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 811 | 75.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 883 | 82.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 992 | 92.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,066 | 99.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,096 | 102.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,254 | 116.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 953 | 88.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 89 |
| July 2026 | 90 |
| June 2026 | 73 |
| May 2026 | 50 |
| April 2026 | 69 |
| March 2026 | 70 |
| February 2026 | 50 |
| January 2026 | 60 |
| December 2025 | 43 |
| November 2025 | 53 |
| October 2025 | 46 |
| September 2025 | 61 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (71% below) and anti-social behaviour (45% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 42 to 53 and drugs rose from 29 to 36, while shoplifting fell from 69 to 26.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 342 | 31.9 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 91 | 8.5 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Public order | 54 | 5.0 | 6.7 | +17% |
| Other theft | 53 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 47 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 45 | 4.2 | 5.0 | +15% |
| Drugs | 36 | 3.4 | 3.3 | +24% |
| Burglary | 28 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +22% |
| Shoplifting | 26 | 2.4 | 8.5 | -62% |
| Other crime | 9 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 8 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than St Laurence; the highest is Victoria, Southend-on-Sea (257.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Eastwood Park (41.5).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs St Laurence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prittlewell | 1,228 | 109.3 | +56% |
| Westborough | 656 | 56.6 | -19% |
| Blenheim Park | 734 | 65.2 | -7% |
| Victoria | 3,629 | 257.3 | +266% |
| Chalkwell | 1,391 | 136.9 | +95% |
| Eastwood Park | 404 | 41.5 | -41% |
| Belfairs | 428 | 46.1 | -34% |
| Leigh | 669 | 66.3 | -6% |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in St Laurence over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Derek Gardens” (48).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Derek Gardens | 48 |
| On or near Caroline'S Close | 42 |
| On or near Gannet Close | 36 |
| On or near Supermarket | 34 |
| On or near Lundy Close | 33 |
| On or near Nestuda Way | 31 |
| On or near Warners Gardens | 30 |
| On or near Beechmont Gardens | 21 |
| On or near Biscay | 21 |
| On or near Prince Close | 19 |
Of the 663 crimes in St Laurence with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 91 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 263 | 39.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 199 | 30.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 83 | 12.5% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 31 | 4.7% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 21 | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.5% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
St Laurence has an estimated population of 10,730 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.8%, against 7.9%), fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%) and less private renting (15%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up St Laurence average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | St Laurence | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 22.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is St Laurence a safe place to live?
St Laurence recorded 70.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,219th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in St Laurence?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 342 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (91).
Is crime in St Laurence going up or down?
Recorded crime in St Laurence was up 3% on the year before: 754 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 732 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of St Laurence?
About 10,730 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers St Laurence?
St Laurence 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.