Crime in The Lawns: statistics, rates and trends
191 crimes were recorded in The Lawns in the 12 months to August 2026, 33.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in The Lawns at a glance
- Crime trends in The Lawns
- Types of crime in The Lawns
- The Lawns compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in The Lawns
- What happened after crimes were reported in The Lawns
- Demographics of The Lawns
- Questions about crime in The Lawns
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (74), anti-social behaviour (25) and criminal damage and arson (13) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,669th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | The Lawns | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 191 | 15,908 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 33.8 | 84.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 5,648 | 188,803 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in The Lawns peaked in the year to August 2021 (320 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (169). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 36%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 191 | 33.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 169 | 29.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 203 | 35.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 207 | 36.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 295 | 52.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 320 | 56.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 277 | 49.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 272 | 48.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 299 | 52.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 5 |
| July 2026 | 19 |
| June 2026 | 9 |
| May 2026 | 15 |
| April 2026 | 20 |
| March 2026 | 14 |
| February 2026 | 13 |
| January 2026 | 22 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| November 2025 | 24 |
| October 2025 | 12 |
| September 2025 | 12 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (71% below) and violence and sexual offences (62% below) were well below it.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 74 | 13.1 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 25 | 4.4 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 13 | 2.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 12 | 2.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 11 | 1.9 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Public order | 11 | 1.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 11 | 1.9 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 1.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 10 | 1.8 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 1.6 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods has a higher crime rate than The Lawns.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs The Lawns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield North | 583 | 51.9 | +53% |
| Trinity | 547 | 82.3 | +143% |
| Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park | 898 | 84.1 | +149% |
| Patching Hall | 674 | 73.0 | +116% |
| Marconi | 1,279 | 137.1 | +305% |
| Moulsham and Central | 4,072 | 261.9 | +674% |
| St Andrews | 808 | 85.5 | +153% |
| Waterhouse Farm | 662 | 96.6 | +186% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in The Lawns over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (23).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 23 |
| On or near Mulberry Way | 16 |
| On or near Boyne Drive | 10 |
| On or near Aldeburgh Way | 9 |
| On or near Burnham Road | 9 |
| On or near Acer Grove | 8 |
| On or near Meon Close | 8 |
| On or near Springfield Place | 6 |
| On or near Tamar Rise | 6 |
| On or near Totnes Walk | 6 |
Of the 166 crimes in The Lawns with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 25 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 66 | 39.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 56 | 33.7% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 12 | 7.2% | 11.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 4.8% | 0.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 6 | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
The Lawns has an estimated population of 5,648 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (2.5%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and more retired residents (30%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up The Lawns average decile 9.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | The Lawns | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 85.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 2.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 12.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is The Lawns a safe place to live?
The Lawns recorded 33.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,669th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in The Lawns?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 74 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (25).
Is crime in The Lawns going up or down?
Recorded crime in The Lawns was up 13% on the year before: 191 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 169 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of The Lawns?
About 5,648 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 23% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers The Lawns?
The Lawns 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.