Crime in the Essex Police area: statistics, rates and trends
165,544 crimes were recorded in the Essex Police area in the 12 months to August 2026, 85.8 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in the Essex Police area at a glance
- Crime trends in the Essex Police area
- Types of crime in the Essex Police area
- Home Office recorded crime in the Essex Police area
- The Essex Police area compared with nearby police force areas
- Areas within the Essex Police area
- What happened after crimes were reported in the Essex Police area
- Demographics of the Essex Police area
- Questions about crime in the Essex Police area
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (67,175), anti-social behaviour (19,505) and shoplifting (13,339) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 25th of the 41 police force areas covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | the Essex Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 165,544 | 5,311,106 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 85.8 | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 1,929,610 | 54,941,057 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in the Essex Police area peaked in the year to August 2019 (209,121 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (156,762). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 14%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 165,544 | 85.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 156,762 | 81.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 160,524 | 83.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 173,878 | 90.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 193,037 | 100.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 206,547 | 107.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 206,583 | 107.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 209,121 | 108.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 192,883 | 100.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 15,857 |
| July 2026 | 16,537 |
| June 2026 | 15,258 |
| May 2026 | 14,658 |
| April 2026 | 13,987 |
| March 2026 | 13,879 |
| February 2026 | 11,754 |
| January 2026 | 12,296 |
| December 2025 | 12,522 |
| November 2025 | 12,826 |
| October 2025 | 13,241 |
| September 2025 | 12,729 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and theft from the person (70% below) and robbery (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 14,533 to 19,505 and robbery rose from 1,260 to 1,540.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 67,175 | 34.8 | 34.2 | +6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 19,505 | 10.1 | 15.4 | +34% |
| Shoplifting | 13,339 | 6.9 | 8.5 | -3% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 12,402 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Other theft | 11,093 | 5.7 | 6.4 | +8% |
| Public order | 10,851 | 5.6 | 6.7 | 0% |
| Vehicle crime | 10,253 | 5.3 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Drugs | 6,750 | 3.5 | 3.3 | +10% |
| Burglary | 5,253 | 2.7 | 3.6 | +1% |
| Other crime | 3,383 | 1.8 | 2.1 | -10% |
| Possession of weapons | 1,835 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +13% |
| Robbery | 1,540 | 0.8 | 1.4 | +22% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,202 | 0.6 | 0.8 | +5% |
| Theft from the person | 963 | 0.5 | 1.7 | -13% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
143,105 crimes, excluding fraud, were recorded by the police in the Essex Police area in the year ending March 2026, according to the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics. That is 74.2 per 1,000 residents, close to the England and Wales rate of 83.2. The total was almost unchanged on the year ending March 2025 (144,427), against a fall of 2% across England and Wales. Among the 43 territorial police force areas of England and Wales, the Essex Police area had the 21st lowest rate (the street-level ranking above is among the 41 force areas with street-level pages on this site, over the 12 months to August 2026).
Offences recorded in the Essex Police area, the year ending March 2026
The largest category was violence without injury, with 26,351 offences (18% of the total). Relative to England and Wales, rates were highest for arson (1.8 times the national rate). Rates were lowest relative to the national rate for theft from the person (0.28 times), robbery of business property (0.40 times) and robbery of personal property (0.61 times).
The largest rises on the year were in arson (+33%) and possession of drugs (+17%). The largest falls were in death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving (−27%) and non-residential burglary (−20%). Robbery of business property and shoplifting are not compared with the year ending March 2025: from April 2025 the Home Office Counting Rules were clarified so that a theft from a shop in which violence is used or threatened against staff or anyone else is recorded as robbery of business property rather than shoplifting (ONS).
| Offence | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence without injury | 26,351 | 13.7 | 13.2 | 1.03 | +2% |
| Stalking and harassment | 18,722 | 9.7 | 10.1 | 0.96 | +13% |
| Shoplifting | 13,994 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 0.89 | – |
| Violence with injury | 13,715 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 0.87 | −2% |
| Criminal damage | 11,109 | 5.8 | 6.8 | 0.84 | −5% |
| Public order offences | 10,735 | 5.6 | 7.0 | 0.80 | −4% |
| Other theft offences | 10,086 | 5.2 | 6.5 | 0.80 | −10% |
| Vehicle offences | 9,946 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 1.02 | −17% |
| Possession of drugs | 4,513 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 0.94 | +17% |
| Other sexual offences | 3,876 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.88 | +6% |
| Residential burglary | 3,834 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.80 | −7% |
| Miscellaneous crimes against society | 3,316 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 0.82 | −1% |
| Trafficking of drugs | 2,505 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.10 | +16% |
| Rape | 2,294 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.98 | +4% |
| Possession of weapons | 1,761 | 0.91 | 1.00 | 0.92 | +13% |
| Non-residential burglary | 1,450 | 0.75 | 1.1 | 0.67 | −20% |
| Arson | 1,292 | 0.67 | 0.38 | 1.76 | +33% |
| Bicycle theft | 1,158 | 0.60 | 0.85 | 0.70 | −7% |
| Robbery of personal property | 1,069 | 0.55 | 0.91 | 0.61 | −5% |
| Theft from the person | 947 | 0.49 | 1.8 | 0.28 | −17% |
| Robbery of business property | 371 | 0.19 | 0.47 | 0.40 | – |
| Death or serious injury caused by unlawful driving | 58 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.86 | −27% |
| Homicide | 3 | <0.01 | 0.01 | 0.19 | −79% |
Recorded crime in the Essex Police area since the year ending March 2013
The chart shows police recorded crime per 1,000 residents in each year ending March from 2013 to 2026. The Essex Police area's rate was above the England and Wales rate in 3 of those 14 years and below it in 11. Changes in how forces record crime move these figures as well as changes in crime (methodology).
| Year ending March | Offences | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 143,105 | 74.2 | 83.2 |
| 2025 | 144,427 | 74.8 | 84.5 |
| 2024 | 154,248 | 79.9 | 86.2 |
| 2023 | 164,209 | 85.1 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 166,849 | 86.5 | 85.4 |
| 2021 | 148,586 | 77.0 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 167,128 | 86.6 | 84.7 |
| 2019 | 158,463 | 82.1 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 133,940 | 69.4 | 78.2 |
| 2017 | 120,658 | 62.5 | 69.1 |
| 2016 | 111,022 | 57.5 | 62.3 |
| 2015 | 99,740 | 51.7 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 99,346 | 51.5 | 55.9 |
| 2013 | 98,634 | 51.1 | 56.7 |
Districts in the Essex Police area, the year ending March 2026
Of the 14 districts in the Essex Police area with a figure for the year ending March 2026, Southend-on-Sea had the highest rate (96.5 per 1,000) and Rochford the lowest (43.5). 1.9% of the crimes recorded in the area that year were not assigned to a district, so the district figures add up to less than the force total.
| District | Offences | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southend-on-Sea | 17,869 | 96.5 | 1.16 |
| Harlow | 9,072 | 92.3 | 1.11 |
| Thurrock | 15,501 | 85.6 | 1.03 |
| Basildon | 16,426 | 84.8 | 1.02 |
| Colchester | 16,534 | 82.6 | 0.99 |
| Tendring | 12,498 | 79.7 | 0.96 |
| Chelmsford | 13,293 | 70.4 | 0.85 |
| Brentwood | 5,079 | 64.0 | 0.77 |
| Epping Forest | 8,703 | 63.3 | 0.76 |
| Braintree | 8,750 | 53.3 | 0.64 |
| Castle Point | 4,718 | 52.1 | 0.63 |
| Uttlesford | 4,866 | 51.2 | 0.61 |
| Maldon | 3,096 | 44.8 | 0.54 |
| Rochford | 3,903 | 43.5 | 0.52 |
Source: Home Office police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables (released 23 July 2026), gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0. Financial years, excluding fraud; how they differ from the street-level figures: methodology.
5 of the 8 nearest police force areas have a higher crime rate than the Essex Police area; the highest is the City of London Police area (639.5 per 1,000) and the lowest the Suffolk Police area (61.9).
| Police force area | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs the Essex Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | 175,741 | 91.0 | +6% |
| City of London | 9,663 | 639.5 | +645% |
| Metropolitan Police | 1,117,214 | 123.1 | +44% |
| Hertfordshire | 106,430 | 86.1 | 0% |
| Suffolk | 48,655 | 61.9 | -28% |
| Bedfordshire | 60,036 | 80.1 | -7% |
| Surrey | 87,794 | 70.3 | -18% |
| Cambridgeshire | 83,024 | 88.9 | +4% |
Of the 14 areas within the Essex Police area, Southend-on-Sea had the highest crime rate (114.7 per 1,000) and Maldon the lowest (51.1).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southend-on-Sea | District | 185,256 | 21,255 | 114.7 |
| Harlow | District | 98,235 | 10,925 | 111.2 |
| Thurrock | District | 180,989 | 18,319 | 101.2 |
| Basildon | District | 193,632 | 19,026 | 98.3 |
| Tendring | District | 156,759 | 14,944 | 95.3 |
| Colchester | District | 200,222 | 18,986 | 94.8 |
| Chelmsford | District | 188,803 | 15,908 | 84.3 |
| Epping Forest | District | 137,451 | 10,480 | 76.2 |
| Brentwood | District | 79,326 | 5,879 | 74.1 |
| Castle Point | District | 90,581 | 5,644 | 62.3 |
| Uttlesford | District | 95,106 | 5,882 | 61.8 |
| Braintree | District | 164,304 | 10,156 | 61.8 |
| Rochford | District | 89,815 | 4,605 | 51.3 |
| Maldon | District | 69,131 | 3,535 | 51.1 |
Of the 146,039 crimes in the Essex Police area with a recorded outcome, 34% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 19,505 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 52,922 | 36.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 49,500 | 33.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 13,000 | 8.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8,829 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 5,172 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4,615 | 3.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 4,456 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 3,727 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2,163 | 1.5% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1,170 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 396 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 67 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
The Essex Police area has an estimated population of 1,929,610 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%) and fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up the Essex Police area average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | the Essex Police area | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 23.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 4.4% | 10.1% (England) |
Is the Essex Police area a safe place to live?
The Essex Police area recorded 85.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 25th of the 41 police force areas on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in the Essex Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 67,175 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (19,505).
Is crime in the Essex Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the Essex Police area was up 6% on the year before: 165,544 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 156,762 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of the Essex Police area?
About 1,929,610 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
How many crimes did the police record in the Essex Police area in the year ending March 2026?
143,105 crimes, excluding fraud, in the Home Office's police recorded crime statistics: 74.2 per 1,000 residents, against 83.2 across England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025 the figure was 144,427.
Which offences are more common in the Essex Police area than across England and Wales?
Relative to the national rate, the most over-represented categories in the year ending March 2026 were arson (1,292 offences, 1.8 times the England and Wales rate).
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.