Crime in Epping: statistics, rates and trends
923 crimes were recorded in Epping in the 12 months to August 2026, 90.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (347), shoplifting (98) and anti-social behaviour (95) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 467th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Epping | Epping Forest | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 923 | 10,480 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 90.3 | 76.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 10,222 | 137,451 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Epping peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,253 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (759). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 923 | 90.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 944 | 92.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 759 | 74.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 856 | 83.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 896 | 87.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,160 | 113.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,086 | 106.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,171 | 114.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,253 | 122.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 79 |
| July 2026 | 102 |
| June 2026 | 104 |
| May 2026 | 78 |
| April 2026 | 69 |
| March 2026 | 76 |
| February 2026 | 59 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| November 2025 | 84 |
| October 2025 | 66 |
| September 2025 | 78 |
Compared with England and Wales, Epping recorded notably more vehicle crime (73% above the national rate), and notably less anti-social behaviour (40% below) and burglary (34% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 81 to 95, while burglary fell from 41 to 24 and criminal damage and arson fell from 90 to 64.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 347 | 33.9 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Shoplifting | 98 | 9.6 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 95 | 9.3 | 15.4 | +17% |
| Vehicle crime | 88 | 8.6 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Public order | 82 | 8.0 | 6.7 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 64 | 6.3 | 6.7 | -29% |
| Other theft | 53 | 5.2 | 6.4 | -2% |
| Drugs | 33 | 3.2 | 3.3 | +3% |
| Burglary | 24 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -41% |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Epping; the highest is Waltham Cross (119.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Buckhurst Hill (57.3).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loughton | 2,704 | 79.8 | -12% |
| Waltham Abbey | 2,150 | 104.7 | +16% |
| Harlow | 10,574 | 110.3 | +22% |
| Buckhurst Hill | 687 | 57.3 | -37% |
| Chigwell | 843 | 66.4 | -26% |
| Waltham Cross | 1,587 | 119.2 | +32% |
| Hoddesdon | 3,513 | 87.5 | -3% |
| Cheshunt | 4,322 | 97.2 | +8% |
Of the 2 areas within Epping, Epping West & Rural had the highest crime rate (83.4 per 1,000) and Epping East the lowest (79.6).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epping West & Rural | Neighbourhood | 7,557 | 630 | 83.4 |
| Epping East | Neighbourhood | 6,595 | 525 | 79.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 45% of the crime recorded in Epping over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Police Station” (86).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Police Station | 86 |
| On or near Supermarket | 70 |
| On or near Star Lane | 57 |
| On or near High Road | 47 |
| On or near Ambrose Crescent | 42 |
| On or near Lion Court | 37 |
| On or near Grove Lane | 22 |
| On or near B1393 | 20 |
| On or near Bower Hill | 19 |
| On or near Epping | 19 |
Of the 828 crimes in Epping with a recorded outcome, 42% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 95 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 350 | 42.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 243 | 29.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 73 | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 54 | 6.5% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 26 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 23 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 21 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 21 | 2.5% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Epping has an estimated population of 10,222 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%) and less private renting (16%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Epping average decile 7.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Epping | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.3% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.2% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Epping a safe place to live?
Epping recorded 90.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 467th 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 Epping?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 347 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (98).
Is crime in Epping going up or down?
Recorded crime in Epping was down 2% on the year before: 923 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 944 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Epping?
About 10,222 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Epping?
Epping 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.