Crime in Runwell: statistics, rates and trends
796 crimes were recorded in Runwell in the 12 months to August 2026, 81.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 23% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (332), anti-social behaviour (123) and criminal damage and arson (81) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 580th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Runwell | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 796 | 15,908 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 81.7 | 84.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +23% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 9,742 | 188,803 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Runwell peaked in the year to August 2021 (876 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (647). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 7%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 796 | 81.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 647 | 66.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 687 | 70.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 677 | 69.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 798 | 81.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 876 | 89.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 832 | 85.4 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 750 | 77.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 857 | 88.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 86 |
| July 2026 | 73 |
| June 2026 | 57 |
| May 2026 | 80 |
| April 2026 | 77 |
| March 2026 | 69 |
| February 2026 | 52 |
| January 2026 | 57 |
| December 2025 | 60 |
| November 2025 | 66 |
| October 2025 | 75 |
| September 2025 | 44 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (71% below) and drugs (25% below) were well below it. On the year before, public order rose from 24 to 56 and criminal damage and arson rose from 44 to 81, while vehicle crime fell from 67 to 46 and burglary fell from 44 to 34.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 332 | 34.1 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 123 | 12.6 | 15.4 | +78% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 81 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +84% |
| Public order | 56 | 5.7 | 6.7 | +133% |
| Other theft | 48 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +7% |
| Vehicle crime | 46 | 4.7 | 5.0 | -31% |
| Burglary | 34 | 3.5 | 3.6 | -23% |
| Drugs | 24 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Shoplifting | 24 | 2.5 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 14 | 1.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 10 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Runwell; the highest is Basildon (120.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Hullbridge (46.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Runwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wickford | 1,897 | 67.7 | -17% |
| Hullbridge | 253 | 46.5 | -43% |
| South Woodham Ferrers | 804 | 50.7 | -38% |
| Rayleigh | 1,822 | 54.6 | -33% |
| Billericay | 1,588 | 46.9 | -43% |
| Basildon | 14,622 | 120.6 | +48% |
| Thundersley and South Benfleet | 2,391 | 49.0 | -40% |
| Galleywood | 474 | 66.2 | -19% |
Rettendon and Runwell is the one area listed within Runwell, with 67.7 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rettendon and Runwell | Neighbourhood | 7,267 | 492 | 67.7 |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Runwell over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “High Street” (80).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near High Street | 80 |
| On or near Hospital | 70 |
| On or near Meadow Lane | 53 |
| On or near Arundel Road | 43 |
| On or near The Broadway | 35 |
| On or near Alderney Gardens | 26 |
| On or near St Luke'S Way | 26 |
| On or near Corsellis Close | 20 |
| On or near Runwell Chase | 19 |
| On or near Aydon Close | 18 |
Of the 673 crimes in Runwell with a recorded outcome, 33% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 123 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 284 | 42.2% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 222 | 33.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 55 | 8.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 49 | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 19 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 18 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 10 | 1.5% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.1% | 0.6% |
Runwell has an estimated population of 9,742 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%), less private renting (11%, against 20%) and fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Runwell average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Runwell | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 58.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 22.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 21.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Runwell a safe place to live?
Runwell recorded 81.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 580th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Runwell?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 332 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (123).
Is crime in Runwell going up or down?
Recorded crime in Runwell was up 23% on the year before: 796 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 647 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Runwell?
About 9,742 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 21% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Runwell?
Runwell 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.