Crime in Writtle: statistics, rates and trends
332 crimes were recorded in Writtle in the 12 months to August 2026, 62.0 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (108), other theft (39), anti-social behaviour (36) and shoplifting (36) made up 66% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 924th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Writtle | Chelmsford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 332 | 15,908 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 62.0 | 84.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +14% | +9% | -1% |
| Population | 5,355 | 188,803 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Writtle peaked in the year to August 2019 (517 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (292). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 332 | 62.0 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 292 | 54.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 311 | 58.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 403 | 75.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 422 | 78.8 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 449 | 83.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 380 | 71.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 517 | 96.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 365 | 68.2 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 39 |
| July 2026 | 36 |
| June 2026 | 27 |
| May 2026 | 19 |
| April 2026 | 25 |
| March 2026 | 25 |
| February 2026 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 26 |
| December 2025 | 27 |
| November 2025 | 22 |
| October 2025 | 27 |
| September 2025 | 31 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (56% below) and violence and sexual offences (41% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 20 to 29 and other theft rose from 31 to 39, while shoplifting fell from 61 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 108 | 20.2 | 34.2 | +24% |
| Other theft | 39 | 7.3 | 6.4 | +26% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 36 | 6.7 | 15.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 36 | 6.7 | 8.5 | -41% |
| Vehicle crime | 29 | 5.4 | 5.0 | +45% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 22 | 4.1 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 18 | 3.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 17 | 3.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Public order | 15 | 2.8 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Writtle; the highest is Chelmsford (99.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Danbury (43.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Writtle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford | 11,314 | 99.1 | +60% |
| Galleywood | 474 | 66.2 | +7% |
| Danbury | 292 | 43.5 | -30% |
| Billericay | 1,588 | 46.9 | -24% |
| Runwell | 796 | 81.7 | +32% |
| Brentwood | 4,820 | 82.0 | +32% |
| Wickford | 1,897 | 67.7 | +9% |
| South Woodham Ferrers | 804 | 50.7 | -18% |
Writtle is the one area listed within Writtle, with 62.0 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writtle | Neighbourhood | 5,355 | 332 | 62.0 |
The 10 locations below account for 58% of the crime recorded in Writtle over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (39).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 39 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 37 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 32 |
| On or near Paradise Road | 16 |
| On or near Margaretting Road | 15 |
| On or near Lucerne Way | 13 |
| On or near Pound Fields | 11 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 10 |
| On or near Hunt'S Drive | 9 |
| On or near Rectory Road | 9 |
Of the 296 crimes in Writtle with a recorded outcome, 48% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 36 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 142 | 48.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 98 | 33.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 25 | 8.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 2.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 7 | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 5 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Writtle has an estimated population of 5,355 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (11%, against 20%), an older population (27%, against 19%) and more retired residents (31%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Writtle average decile 6.9 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Writtle | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 51.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 18.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 73.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Writtle a safe place to live?
Writtle recorded 62.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 924th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Writtle?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 108 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by other theft (39).
Is crime in Writtle going up or down?
Recorded crime in Writtle was up 14% on the year before: 332 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 292 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Writtle?
About 5,355 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 27% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Writtle?
Writtle 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.