Crime in Halstead (Braintree): statistics, rates and trends
919 crimes were recorded in Halstead (Braintree) in the 12 months to August 2026, 57.8 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 Halstead (Braintree) at a glance
- Crime trends in Halstead (Braintree)
- Types of crime in Halstead (Braintree)
- Halstead (Braintree) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Halstead (Braintree)
- Streets with the most crime in Halstead (Braintree)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Halstead (Braintree)
- Demographics of Halstead (Braintree)
- Questions about crime in Halstead (Braintree)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (397), anti-social behaviour (93) and shoplifting (92) made up 63% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 999th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Halstead (Braintree) | Braintree | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 919 | 10,156 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 57.8 | 61.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -12% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 15,888 | 164,304 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Halstead (Braintree) peaked in the year to August 2022 (1,444 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (905). 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 | 919 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,040 | 65.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 905 | 57.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,304 | 82.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,444 | 90.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,231 | 77.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,312 | 82.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,269 | 79.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,387 | 87.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 104 |
| July 2026 | 77 |
| June 2026 | 77 |
| May 2026 | 77 |
| April 2026 | 109 |
| March 2026 | 84 |
| February 2026 | 62 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 58 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| October 2025 | 90 |
| September 2025 | 81 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (62% below) and anti-social behaviour (62% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 52 to 81, while vehicle crime fell from 61 to 30 and drugs fell from 48 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 397 | 25.0 | 34.2 | -6% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 93 | 5.9 | 15.4 | +11% |
| Shoplifting | 92 | 5.8 | 8.5 | -34% |
| Public order | 81 | 5.1 | 6.7 | +56% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 69 | 4.3 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Other theft | 52 | 3.3 | 6.4 | -24% |
| Burglary | 36 | 2.3 | 3.6 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 30 | 1.9 | 5.0 | -51% |
| Drugs | 29 | 1.8 | 3.3 | -40% |
| Other crime | 25 | 1.6 | 2.1 | -7% |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Halstead (Braintree); the highest is Colchester (114.9 per 1,000) and the lowest Great Notley (43.1).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Halstead (Braintree) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braintree | 3,353 | 79.7 | +38% |
| Great Notley | 336 | 43.1 | -26% |
| Kelvedon and Feering | 261 | 45.6 | -21% |
| Sudbury | 1,860 | 76.9 | +33% |
| Witham | 2,007 | 79.0 | +37% |
| Tiptree | 386 | 46.3 | -20% |
| Colchester | 15,833 | 114.9 | +99% |
| Berechurch | 727 | 88.0 | +52% |
Of the 2 areas within Halstead (Braintree), Halstead St Andrew's had the highest crime rate (66.8 per 1,000) and Halstead Trinity the lowest (47.6).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halstead St Andrew's | Neighbourhood | 8,509 | 568 | 66.8 |
| Halstead Trinity | Neighbourhood | 7,379 | 351 | 47.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Halstead (Braintree) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (114).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 114 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 44 |
| On or near Parking Area | 36 |
| On or near A131 | 22 |
| On or near Dooley Road | 21 |
| On or near Acorn Avenue | 19 |
| On or near Colne Valley Close | 19 |
| On or near Cutting Drive | 19 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 19 |
| On or near Sparrow Court | 18 |
Of the 826 crimes in Halstead (Braintree) with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 93 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 360 | 43.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 272 | 32.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 71 | 8.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 28 | 3.4% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 1.5% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Halstead (Braintree) has an estimated population of 15,888 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.4%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Halstead (Braintree) average decile 6.1 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Halstead (Braintree) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 24.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.1 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Halstead (Braintree) a safe place to live?
Halstead (Braintree) recorded 57.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 999th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Halstead (Braintree)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 397 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (93).
Is crime in Halstead (Braintree) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Halstead (Braintree) was down 12% on the year before: 919 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,040 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Halstead (Braintree)?
About 15,888 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Halstead (Braintree)?
Halstead (Braintree) 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.