Crime in Witham Central: statistics, rates and trends
832 crimes were recorded in Witham Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 126.9 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Witham Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Witham Central
- Types of crime in Witham Central
- Witham Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Witham Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Witham Central
- Demographics of Witham Central
- Questions about crime in Witham Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (338), anti-social behaviour (100) and other theft (72) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 736th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Witham Central | Braintree | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 832 | 10,156 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 126.9 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 6,554 | 164,304 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Witham Central of any year here (832 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 23%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 832 | 126.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 909 | 138.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 951 | 145.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 857 | 130.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,012 | 154.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,040 | 158.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,053 | 160.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,027 | 156.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,082 | 165.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 99 |
| July 2026 | 73 |
| June 2026 | 69 |
| May 2026 | 67 |
| April 2026 | 74 |
| March 2026 | 72 |
| February 2026 | 62 |
| January 2026 | 47 |
| December 2025 | 69 |
| November 2025 | 55 |
| October 2025 | 68 |
| September 2025 | 77 |
Compared with England and Wales, Witham Central recorded notably more other theft (70% above the national rate), violence and sexual offences (51% above the national rate) and public order (47% above the national rate). On the year before, burglary rose from 22 to 28, while shoplifting fell from 131 to 67 and criminal damage and arson fell from 74 to 58.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 338 | 51.6 | 34.2 | +2% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 100 | 15.3 | 15.4 | -2% |
| Other theft | 72 | 11.0 | 6.4 | +3% |
| Shoplifting | 67 | 10.2 | 8.5 | -49% |
| Public order | 64 | 9.8 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 58 | 8.8 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Vehicle crime | 31 | 4.7 | 5.0 | -3% |
| Drugs | 29 | 4.4 | 3.3 | +7% |
| Burglary | 28 | 4.3 | 3.6 | +27% |
| Other crime | 19 | 2.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 1.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Witham Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Witham Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Witham South | 397 | 48.8 | -62% |
| Witham West | 504 | 73.7 | -42% |
| Witham North | 447 | 68.5 | -46% |
| Hatfield Peverel & Terling | 410 | 60.9 | -52% |
| Silver End & Cressing | 747 | 72.9 | -43% |
| Kelvedon & Feering | 261 | 45.6 | -64% |
| Coggeshall | 247 | 45.2 | -64% |
| Braintree South | 408 | 61.8 | -51% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Witham Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (93).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 93 |
| On or near Coach House Way | 58 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 56 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 45 |
| On or near B1389 | 34 |
| On or near Supermarket | 30 |
| On or near Spinks Lane | 22 |
| On or near Christina Road | 19 |
| On or near Lawn Chase | 19 |
| On or near Newland Street | 19 |
Of the 732 crimes in Witham Central with a recorded outcome, 39% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 100 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 289 | 39.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 251 | 34.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 29 | 4.0% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 25 | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 23 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Witham Central has an estimated population of 6,554 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%), more private renting (25%, against 20%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (27%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Witham Central average decile 4.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Witham Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 19.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 25.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Witham Central a safe place to live?
Witham Central recorded 126.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 736th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other theft and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Witham Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 338 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (100).
Is crime in Witham Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Witham Central was down 8% on the year before: 832 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 909 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Witham Central?
About 6,554 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Witham Central?
Witham Central 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.