Crime in Chigwell: statistics, rates and trends
843 crimes were recorded in Chigwell in the 12 months to August 2026, 66.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Chigwell at a glance
- Crime trends in Chigwell
- Types of crime in Chigwell
- Chigwell compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Chigwell
- Streets with the most crime in Chigwell
- What happened after crimes were reported in Chigwell
- Demographics of Chigwell
- Questions about crime in Chigwell
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (322), vehicle crime (128) and criminal damage and arson (63) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 843rd of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Chigwell | Epping Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 843 | 10,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 66.4 | 76.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +11% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 12,696 | 137,451 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Chigwell peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,292 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (762). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 29%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 843 | 66.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 762 | 60.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 828 | 65.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 942 | 74.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,023 | 80.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,172 | 92.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,292 | 101.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,158 | 91.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,190 | 93.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 69 |
| July 2026 | 75 |
| June 2026 | 65 |
| May 2026 | 63 |
| April 2026 | 49 |
| March 2026 | 58 |
| February 2026 | 69 |
| January 2026 | 89 |
| December 2025 | 92 |
| November 2025 | 60 |
| October 2025 | 78 |
| September 2025 | 76 |
Compared with England and Wales, Chigwell recorded notably more vehicle crime (2.0 times the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (69% below) and public order (31% below). On the year before, public order rose from 42 to 58 and drugs rose from 37 to 46, while burglary fell from 63 to 52.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 322 | 25.4 | 34.2 | +10% |
| Vehicle crime | 128 | 10.1 | 5.0 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 5.0 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Other theft | 62 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +13% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 60 | 4.7 | 15.4 | +13% |
| Public order | 58 | 4.6 | 6.7 | +38% |
| Burglary | 52 | 4.1 | 3.6 | -17% |
| Drugs | 46 | 3.6 | 3.3 | +24% |
| Other crime | 25 | 2.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 6 | 0.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Chigwell; the highest is Newham (135.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Buckhurst Hill (57.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Chigwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhurst Hill | 687 | 57.3 | -14% |
| Redbridge | 30,293 | 94.8 | +43% |
| Loughton | 2,704 | 79.8 | +20% |
| Waltham Forest | 29,459 | 105.3 | +59% |
| Barking and Dagenham | 23,482 | 102.4 | +54% |
| Waltham Abbey | 2,150 | 104.7 | +58% |
| Newham | 50,823 | 135.7 | +104% |
| Havering | 24,158 | 88.5 | +33% |
Of the 2 areas within Chigwell, Chigwell with Lambourne had the highest crime rate (65.0 per 1,000) and Grange Hill the lowest (61.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chigwell with Lambourne | Neighbourhood | 7,565 | 492 | 65.0 |
| Grange Hill | Neighbourhood | 9,417 | 576 | 61.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Chigwell over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Copperfield” (107).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Copperfield | 107 |
| On or near Limes Avenue | 39 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near The Childers | 35 |
| On or near King'S Mews | 33 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 29 |
| On or near High Road | 28 |
| On or near Luxborough Lane | 27 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 26 |
| On or near Smeaton Road | 22 |
Of the 783 crimes in Chigwell with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 60 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 330 | 42.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 254 | 32.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 64 | 8.2% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 41 | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 25 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 23 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 17 | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Chigwell has an estimated population of 12,696 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%), less social housing (12%, against 17%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (42%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Chigwell average decile 7.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Chigwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 60.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 41.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Chigwell a safe place to live?
Chigwell recorded 66.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 843rd of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Chigwell?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 322 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by vehicle crime (128).
Is crime in Chigwell going up or down?
Recorded crime in Chigwell was up 11% on the year before: 843 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 762 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Chigwell?
About 12,696 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Chigwell?
Chigwell 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.