Crime in Stanway: statistics, rates and trends
872 crimes were recorded in Stanway in the 12 months to August 2026, 86.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 35% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (311), anti-social behaviour (144) and shoplifting (94) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,637th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Stanway | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 872 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 86.1 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +35% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 10,131 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Stanway peaked in the year to August 2021 (1,070 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (645). 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 | 872 | 86.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 647 | 63.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 740 | 73.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 645 | 63.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,013 | 100.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,070 | 105.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,028 | 101.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,018 | 100.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,038 | 102.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 77 |
| July 2026 | 77 |
| June 2026 | 85 |
| May 2026 | 78 |
| April 2026 | 52 |
| March 2026 | 91 |
| February 2026 | 68 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 62 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 92 |
Compared with England and Wales, Stanway recorded notably more bicycle theft (2.5 times the national rate), and notably less other theft (36% below) and burglary (25% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 51 to 144 and public order rose from 40 to 71, while other theft fell from 54 to 42.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 311 | 30.7 | 34.2 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 144 | 14.2 | 15.4 | +182% |
| Shoplifting | 94 | 9.3 | 8.5 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 73 | 7.2 | 6.7 | +46% |
| Public order | 71 | 7.0 | 6.7 | +78% |
| Vehicle crime | 43 | 4.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other theft | 42 | 4.1 | 6.4 | -22% |
| Burglary | 27 | 2.7 | 3.6 | -4% |
| Bicycle theft | 21 | 2.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 19 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 10 | 1.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Stanway; 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 Stanway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prettygate | 648 | 55.7 | -35% |
| Lexden and Braiswick | 433 | 47.7 | -45% |
| Marks Tey and Layer | 732 | 68.4 | -21% |
| Shrub End | 1,138 | 86.8 | +1% |
| New Town and Christ Church | 1,915 | 119.6 | +39% |
| Castle | 3,520 | 290.4 | +237% |
| Mile End | 1,766 | 121.7 | +41% |
| Berechurch | 1,019 | 86.3 | 0% |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Stanway over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (178).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 178 |
| On or near Essex Yeomanry Way | 72 |
| On or near Supermarket | 36 |
| On or near Moss Road | 26 |
| On or near Tollgate Court | 23 |
| On or near New Farm Road | 22 |
| On or near Jackdaw Drive | 21 |
| On or near Juniper Close | 19 |
| On or near Villa Road | 19 |
| On or near Meadow Grass Close | 17 |
Of the 728 crimes in Stanway with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 144 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 279 | 38.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 247 | 33.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 59 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 47 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 28 | 3.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 19 | 2.6% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 15 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 14 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 13 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Stanway has an estimated population of 10,131 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and less private renting (13%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stanway average decile 6.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Stanway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.2% | 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 | 75.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Stanway a safe place to live?
Stanway recorded 86.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,637th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft.
What is the most common crime in Stanway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 311 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (144).
Is crime in Stanway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stanway was up 35% on the year before: 872 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 647 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stanway?
About 10,131 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stanway?
Stanway 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.