Crime in Grays: statistics, rates and trends
4,655 crimes were recorded in Grays in the 12 months to August 2026, 101.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,712), anti-social behaviour (545) and shoplifting (384) made up 57% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 336th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Grays | Thurrock | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 4,655 | 18,319 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 101.2 | 101.2 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 45,985 | 180,989 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Grays peaked in the year to August 2021 (5,399 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (4,122). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 5%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 4,655 | 101.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,441 | 96.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,248 | 92.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 4,122 | 89.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 4,668 | 101.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 5,399 | 117.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 5,006 | 108.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 5,217 | 113.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,443 | 96.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 500 |
| July 2026 | 443 |
| June 2026 | 384 |
| May 2026 | 379 |
| April 2026 | 378 |
| March 2026 | 386 |
| February 2026 | 360 |
| January 2026 | 375 |
| December 2025 | 336 |
| November 2025 | 392 |
| October 2025 | 348 |
| September 2025 | 374 |
Compared with England and Wales, Grays recorded notably more drugs (77% above the national rate), vehicle crime (62% above the national rate) and possession of weapons (37% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (63% below) and robbery (31% below). On the year before, possession of weapons rose from 29 to 61 and drugs rose from 192 to 267, while shoplifting fell from 681 to 384 and theft from the person fell from 37 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,712 | 37.2 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 545 | 11.9 | 15.4 | +38% |
| Shoplifting | 384 | 8.4 | 8.5 | -44% |
| Vehicle crime | 371 | 8.1 | 5.0 | +5% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 354 | 7.7 | 6.7 | -5% |
| Other theft | 314 | 6.8 | 6.4 | +6% |
| Public order | 313 | 6.8 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Drugs | 267 | 5.8 | 3.3 | +39% |
| Burglary | 131 | 2.8 | 3.6 | +32% |
| Other crime | 82 | 1.8 | 2.1 | +14% |
| Possession of weapons | 61 | 1.3 | 1.0 | +110% |
| Bicycle theft | 49 | 1.1 | 0.8 | +20% |
| Robbery | 43 | 0.9 | 1.4 | -17% |
| Theft from the person | 29 | 0.6 | 1.7 | -22% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Grays; the highest is Tilbury (137.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Ebbsfleet Valley (50.9).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Grays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chafford Hundred and West Thurrock | 2,816 | 135.8 | +34% |
| Chadwell St Mary | 1,159 | 107.0 | +6% |
| Tilbury | 2,132 | 137.1 | +35% |
| South Ockendon | 1,969 | 84.2 | -17% |
| Swanscombe | 1,476 | 92.6 | -9% |
| Ebbsfleet Valley | 378 | 50.9 | -50% |
| Aveley | 760 | 78.2 | -23% |
| Northfleet | 2,830 | 94.2 | -7% |
Of the 5 areas within Grays, Grays Riverside had the highest crime rate (163.3 per 1,000) and Little Thurrock Rectory the lowest (64.2).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grays Riverside | Neighbourhood | 13,744 | 2,244 | 163.3 |
| Grays Thurrock | Neighbourhood | 10,234 | 897 | 87.6 |
| Little Thurrock Blackshots | Neighbourhood | 7,051 | 525 | 74.5 |
| Stifford Clays | Neighbourhood | 6,777 | 476 | 70.2 |
| Little Thurrock Rectory | Neighbourhood | 6,619 | 425 | 64.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 32% of the crime recorded in Grays over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “High Street” (252).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near High Street | 252 |
| On or near Parking Area | 222 |
| On or near New Road | 151 |
| On or near Supermarket | 151 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 146 |
| On or near Argyll Road | 143 |
| On or near Police Station | 129 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 106 |
| On or near Exmouth Road | 94 |
| On or near Sherfield Road | 77 |
Of the 4,110 crimes in Grays with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 6.0% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 545 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,546 | 37.6% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,187 | 28.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 402 | 9.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 246 | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 208 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 176 | 4.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 137 | 3.3% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 99 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 54 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 40 | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 11 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Grays has an estimated population of 45,985 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (15%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Grays average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Grays | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.5% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 7.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 62.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 21.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Grays a safe place to live?
Grays recorded 101.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 336th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Grays?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,712 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (545).
Is crime in Grays going up or down?
Recorded crime in Grays was up 5% on the year before: 4,655 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,441 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Grays?
About 45,985 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Grays?
Grays 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.