Crime in Lawford: statistics, rates and trends
202 crimes were recorded in Lawford in the 12 months to August 2026, 39.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (98), other theft (32), anti-social behaviour (14) and vehicle crime (14) made up 78% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,294th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Lawford | Tendring | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 202 | 14,944 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 39.4 | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +5% | +8% | -1% |
| Population | 5,124 | 156,759 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Lawford peaked in the year to August 2018 (259 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (151). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 22%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 202 | 39.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 192 | 37.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 151 | 29.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 156 | 30.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 203 | 39.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 235 | 45.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 235 | 45.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 205 | 40.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 259 | 50.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 15 |
| July 2026 | 17 |
| June 2026 | 27 |
| May 2026 | 21 |
| April 2026 | 12 |
| March 2026 | 17 |
| February 2026 | 9 |
| January 2026 | 17 |
| December 2025 | 18 |
| November 2025 | 20 |
| October 2025 | 15 |
| September 2025 | 14 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (44% below) was well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 84 to 98.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 98 | 19.1 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Other theft | 32 | 6.2 | 6.4 | +14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 14 | 2.7 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 14 | 2.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 11 | 2.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9 | 1.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 1.2 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Burglary | 5 | 1.0 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 3 | 0.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.4 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 1 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Lawford.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Lawford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wivenhoe | 353 | 52.9 | +34% |
| Colchester | 15,833 | 114.9 | +191% |
| Hadleigh | 460 | 49.9 | +27% |
| Berechurch | 727 | 88.0 | +123% |
| Brightlingsea | 418 | 46.8 | +19% |
| Harwich | 2,204 | 101.5 | +157% |
| Ipswich | 14,484 | 95.9 | +143% |
| Clacton-on-Sea | 7,123 | 128.2 | +225% |
Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley is the one area listed within Lawford, with 54.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley | Neighbourhood | 8,573 | 468 | 54.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Lawford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Colchester Road” and “Petrol Station” (19 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Colchester Road | 19 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 19 |
| On or near Merivale Close | 12 |
| On or near Nichols Close | 9 |
| On or near Waldegrave Close | 9 |
| On or near Long Road | 8 |
| On or near Cavendish Drive | 7 |
| On or near Meadway | 7 |
| On or near Manningtree | 6 |
| On or near Strawberry Avenue | 6 |
Of the 188 crimes in Lawford with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 14 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 86 | 45.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 56 | 29.8% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 13 | 6.9% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 5.3% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 4.8% | 0.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 3 | 1.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
Lawford has an estimated population of 5,124 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (10%, against 23%), less social housing (9.1%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (4.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Lawford average decile 7.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Lawford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 61.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 25.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Lawford a safe place to live?
Lawford recorded 39.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,294th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Lawford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 98 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (32).
Is crime in Lawford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Lawford was up 5% on the year before: 202 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 192 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Lawford?
About 5,124 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 22% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Lawford?
Lawford 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.