Crime in Brightlingsea: statistics, rates and trends
418 crimes were recorded in Brightlingsea in the 12 months to August 2026, 46.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 12% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Brightlingsea at a glance
- Crime trends in Brightlingsea
- Types of crime in Brightlingsea
- Brightlingsea compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Brightlingsea
- Streets with the most crime in Brightlingsea
- What happened after crimes were reported in Brightlingsea
- Demographics of Brightlingsea
- Questions about crime in Brightlingsea
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (219), anti-social behaviour (32) and other theft (31) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,203rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Brightlingsea | Tendring | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 418 | 14,944 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 46.8 | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 8,939 | 156,759 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Brightlingsea peaked in the year to August 2018 (629 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (410). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 34%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 418 | 46.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 477 | 53.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 410 | 45.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 422 | 47.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 526 | 58.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 536 | 60.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 541 | 60.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 530 | 59.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 629 | 70.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 35 |
| July 2026 | 44 |
| June 2026 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 32 |
| March 2026 | 34 |
| February 2026 | 42 |
| January 2026 | 43 |
| December 2025 | 29 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 40 |
| September 2025 | 29 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (77% below) and shoplifting (71% below) were well below it. On the year before, criminal damage and arson fell from 62 to 25 and other theft fell from 38 to 31.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 219 | 24.5 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 32 | 3.6 | 15.4 | -18% |
| Other theft | 31 | 3.5 | 6.4 | -18% |
| Public order | 27 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 25 | 2.8 | 6.7 | -60% |
| Shoplifting | 22 | 2.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 21 | 2.3 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 12 | 1.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 11 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Brightlingsea; the highest is Jaywick (156.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Lawford (39.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Brightlingsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wivenhoe | 353 | 52.9 | +13% |
| Jaywick | 834 | 156.8 | +235% |
| West Mersea | 322 | 45.0 | -4% |
| Clacton-on-Sea | 7,123 | 128.2 | +174% |
| Berechurch | 727 | 88.0 | +88% |
| Colchester | 15,833 | 114.9 | +146% |
| Lawford | 202 | 39.4 | -16% |
| Frinton-on-Sea | 310 | 58.6 | +25% |
Brightlingsea is the one area listed within Brightlingsea, with 46.8 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightlingsea | Neighbourhood | 8,939 | 418 | 46.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Brightlingsea over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (28).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 28 |
| On or near Church Road | 23 |
| On or near Thomas Street | 22 |
| On or near Parking Area | 19 |
| On or near Lower Green Gardens | 18 |
| On or near Campernell Close | 17 |
| On or near Regent Close | 14 |
| On or near Waterside | 14 |
| On or near Victoria Place | 12 |
| On or near Windsor Court | 12 |
Of the 386 crimes in Brightlingsea with a recorded outcome, 30% 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 32 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 176 | 45.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 114 | 29.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 33 | 8.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 14 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 11 | 2.8% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.8% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 6 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 5 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Brightlingsea has an estimated population of 8,939 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (5.6%, against 17.1%), an older population (29%, against 19%) and more retired residents (32%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Brightlingsea average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Brightlingsea | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 53.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 24.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 5.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Brightlingsea a safe place to live?
Brightlingsea recorded 46.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,203rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Brightlingsea?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 219 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (32).
Is crime in Brightlingsea going up or down?
Recorded crime in Brightlingsea was down 12% on the year before: 418 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 477 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Brightlingsea?
About 8,939 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Brightlingsea?
Brightlingsea 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.