Crime in Berechurch: statistics, rates and trends
727 crimes were recorded in Berechurch in the 12 months to August 2026, 88.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Berechurch at a glance
- Crime trends in Berechurch
- Types of crime in Berechurch
- Berechurch compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Berechurch
- Streets with the most crime in Berechurch
- What happened after crimes were reported in Berechurch
- Demographics of Berechurch
- Questions about crime in Berechurch
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (361), anti-social behaviour (98), criminal damage and arson (50) and public order (50) made up 77% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 497th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Berechurch | Colchester | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 727 | 18,986 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 88.0 | 94.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +3% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 8,266 | 200,222 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Berechurch peaked in the year to August 2021 (948 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (636). 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 | 727 | 88.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 708 | 85.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 636 | 76.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 697 | 84.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 800 | 96.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 948 | 114.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 934 | 113.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 940 | 113.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 945 | 114.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 50 |
| July 2026 | 62 |
| June 2026 | 65 |
| May 2026 | 50 |
| April 2026 | 61 |
| March 2026 | 69 |
| February 2026 | 61 |
| January 2026 | 73 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 59 |
| October 2025 | 60 |
| September 2025 | 59 |
Compared with England and Wales, Berechurch recorded notably more violence and sexual offences (28% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (29% below) and anti-social behaviour (23% below). On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 29 to 47 and anti-social behaviour rose from 66 to 98, while criminal damage and arson fell from 67 to 50.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 361 | 43.7 | 34.2 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 98 | 11.9 | 15.4 | +48% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 50 | 6.0 | 6.7 | -25% |
| Public order | 50 | 6.0 | 6.7 | +19% |
| Vehicle crime | 47 | 5.7 | 5.0 | +62% |
| Other theft | 38 | 4.6 | 6.4 | -5% |
| Drugs | 22 | 2.7 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 17 | 2.1 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 16 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.8 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Berechurch; the highest is Jaywick (156.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Lawford (39.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Berechurch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester | 15,833 | 114.9 | +31% |
| Wivenhoe | 353 | 52.9 | -40% |
| West Mersea | 322 | 45.0 | -49% |
| Brightlingsea | 418 | 46.8 | -47% |
| Tiptree | 386 | 46.3 | -47% |
| Lawford | 202 | 39.4 | -55% |
| Kelvedon and Feering | 261 | 45.6 | -48% |
| Jaywick | 834 | 156.8 | +78% |
Berechurch is the one area listed within Berechurch, with 86.3 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berechurch | Neighbourhood | 11,811 | 1,019 | 86.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 40% of the crime recorded in Berechurch over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Boyles Court” (45).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Boyles Court | 45 |
| On or near Stansted Road | 43 |
| On or near Queen Elizabeth Way | 29 |
| On or near Bevan Close | 27 |
| On or near Garrod Court | 26 |
| On or near Bardfield Road | 25 |
| On or near West Donyland Court | 25 |
| On or near Terling Close | 24 |
| On or near School Road | 22 |
| On or near Thomas Benold Walk | 22 |
Of the 629 crimes in Berechurch with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 98 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 301 | 47.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 159 | 25.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 51 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 25 | 4.0% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 13 | 2.1% | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 1.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Berechurch has an estimated population of 8,266 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more children (24%, against 18%), fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%) and a younger population (13%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Berechurch average decile 3.6 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Berechurch | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 21.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Berechurch a safe place to live?
Berechurch recorded 88.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 497th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Berechurch?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 361 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (98).
Is crime in Berechurch going up or down?
Recorded crime in Berechurch was up 3% on the year before: 727 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 708 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Berechurch?
About 8,266 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Berechurch?
Berechurch 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.