Crime in Chelmsford: statistics, rates and trends
11,314 crimes were recorded in Chelmsford in the 12 months to August 2026, 99.1 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Chelmsford at a glance
- Crime trends in Chelmsford
- Types of crime in Chelmsford
- Chelmsford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Chelmsford
- Streets with the most crime in Chelmsford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Chelmsford
- Demographics of Chelmsford
- Questions about crime in Chelmsford
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,547), shoplifting (1,410) and anti-social behaviour (1,226) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 360th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Chelmsford | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 11,314 | 15,908 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 99.1 | 84.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 114,157 | 188,803 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Chelmsford peaked in the year to August 2019 (14,244 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (10,607). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 12%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 11,314 | 99.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 10,607 | 92.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 11,672 | 102.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 12,374 | 108.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 12,877 | 112.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 13,096 | 114.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 13,616 | 119.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 14,244 | 124.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 12,891 | 112.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,098 |
| July 2026 | 1,141 |
| June 2026 | 979 |
| May 2026 | 950 |
| April 2026 | 967 |
| March 2026 | 992 |
| February 2026 | 781 |
| January 2026 | 840 |
| December 2025 | 885 |
| November 2025 | 857 |
| October 2025 | 934 |
| September 2025 | 890 |
Compared with England and Wales, Chelmsford recorded notably more drugs (61% above the national rate) and shoplifting (46% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (52% below) and anti-social behaviour (30% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 759 to 1,226 and robbery rose from 89 to 125, while theft from the person fell from 123 to 93 and other crime fell from 288 to 230.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,547 | 39.8 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 1,410 | 12.4 | 8.5 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,226 | 10.7 | 15.4 | +62% |
| Public order | 754 | 6.6 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 712 | 6.2 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 650 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Drugs | 601 | 5.3 | 3.3 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 438 | 3.8 | 5.0 | -2% |
| Burglary | 293 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Other crime | 230 | 2.0 | 2.1 | -20% |
| Robbery | 125 | 1.1 | 1.4 | +40% |
| Possession of weapons | 124 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +31% |
| Bicycle theft | 111 | 1.0 | 0.8 | -15% |
| Theft from the person | 93 | 0.8 | 1.7 | -24% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writtle | 332 | 62.0 | -37% |
| Galleywood | 474 | 66.2 | -33% |
| Danbury | 292 | 43.5 | -56% |
| Billericay | 1,588 | 46.9 | -53% |
| Runwell | 796 | 81.7 | -18% |
| Witham | 2,007 | 79.0 | -20% |
| South Woodham Ferrers | 804 | 50.7 | -49% |
| Maldon | 1,604 | 67.3 | -32% |
Of the 13 areas within Chelmsford, Moulsham and Central had the highest crime rate (261.9 per 1,000) and The Lawns the lowest (33.8), 8 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moulsham and Central | Neighbourhood | 15,549 | 4,072 | 261.9 |
| Marconi | Neighbourhood | 9,332 | 1,279 | 137.1 |
| Waterhouse Farm | Neighbourhood | 6,854 | 662 | 96.6 |
| St Andrews | Neighbourhood | 9,445 | 808 | 85.5 |
| Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park | Neighbourhood | 10,676 | 898 | 84.1 |
| Trinity | Neighbourhood | 6,646 | 547 | 82.3 |
| Patching Hall | Neighbourhood | 9,236 | 674 | 73.0 |
| Great Baddow West | Neighbourhood | 6,502 | 394 | 60.6 |
| Great Baddow East | Neighbourhood | 8,764 | 511 | 58.3 |
| Springfield North | Neighbourhood | 11,237 | 583 | 51.9 |
| Goat Hall | Neighbourhood | 6,075 | 271 | 44.6 |
| Moulsham Lodge | Neighbourhood | 5,642 | 194 | 34.4 |
| The Lawns | Neighbourhood | 5,648 | 191 | 33.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Chelmsford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (878).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 878 |
| On or near Nightclub | 706 |
| On or near Supermarket | 668 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 594 |
| On or near Park Road | 340 |
| On or near Tindal Square | 278 |
| On or near Police Station | 247 |
| On or near Prison | 205 |
| On or near New Dukes Way | 177 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 165 |
Of the 10,088 crimes in Chelmsford with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,226 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,678 | 36.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 3,293 | 32.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 896 | 8.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 856 | 8.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 384 | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 348 | 3.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 229 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 220 | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 113 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 52 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 15 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Chelmsford has an estimated population of 114,157 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (14%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Chelmsford average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Chelmsford a safe place to live?
Chelmsford recorded 99.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 360th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Chelmsford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,547 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (1,410).
Is crime in Chelmsford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Chelmsford was up 7% on the year before: 11,314 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 10,607 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Chelmsford?
About 114,157 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Chelmsford?
Chelmsford 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.