Chelmsford is the safest major town in Essex, and is the 52nd most dangerous overall out of Essex's 315 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Chelmsford in 2021 was 83 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Essex's overall crime rate, coming in 2.5% higher than the Essex rate of 81 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Chelmsford is the 53rd safest major town, and the 942nd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2021, Chelmsford had the worst crime rate in Essex for bicycle theft, with 28 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.24 per 1,000 inhabitants. November 2021 was also a bad month for Chelmsford residents, when it was Essex's most dangerous area for other crime, recording 42 crimes at a rate of 0.35 per 1,000 residents. Chelmsford recorded 16 reports of theft from the person during November 2021, making its crime rate of 0.13 the worst for theft from the person in Essex that month.
The most common crimes in Chelmsford are violence and sexual offences, with 4,591 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 39. This is 4.5% higher than 2020's figure of 4,384 offences and a difference of 1.74 from 2020's crime rate of 37. Chelmsford's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 62 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 4.8% from 2020's figure of 65 crimes.
Safest
Major Towns, Essex
15% higher, regional crime rate
East of England
12% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Chelmsford is 15% higher than the East of England and 12% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Chelmsford | |
| East of England | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Chelmsford represent the time frame between April 2019 and March 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 11 May, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 83 | 9,883 |
| 2020 | 79 | 9,390 |
| 2019 | 90 | 10,664 |
| 2018 | 82 | 9,750 |
| 2017 | 70 | 8,273 |
| 2016 | 57 | 6,808 |
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| Chelmsford | Essex | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,337 | 19.68 | 38,402 | 20.80 | 6% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 345 | 2.91 | 1,650 | 0.89 | 69% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 445 | 3.75 | 5,840 | 3.16 | 16% more dangerous |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 719 | 6.05 | 13,534 | 7.33 | 21% safer |
| Drugs | 316 | 2.66 | 5,362 | 2.90 | 9% safer |
| Other Crime | 296 | 2.49 | 3,180 | 1.72 | 31% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 727 | 6.12 | 10,249 | 5.55 | 9% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 62 | 0.52 | 1,182 | 0.64 | 23% safer |
| Public Order | 997 | 8.40 | 16,425 | 8.89 | 6% safer |
| Robbery | 68 | 0.57 | 1,250 | 0.68 | 19% safer |
| Shoplifting | 664 | 5.59 | 7,095 | 3.84 | 31% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 126 | 1.06 | 1,038 | 0.56 | 47% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 527 | 4.44 | 10,154 | 5.50 | 24% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 4,591 | 38.66 | 72,864 | 39.46 | 2.1% safer |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford | 9,883 | 83.22 | - |
| Colchester | 13,278 | 96.13 | 13% more dangerous |
| Grays | 7,617 | 100.76 | 17% more dangerous |
| Harlow | 10,086 | 115.68 | 28% more dangerous |
| Basildon | 14,679 | 124.74 | 33% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Melbourne Avenue | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Widford Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Wardle Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Evelyn Place | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Wheatfield Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Darnay Rise | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Hurst Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Shopping Area | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Duke Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near The Cedars | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Bicycle theft | On or near Park Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Bishop Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Chelmer Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near South Primrose Hill | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Drugs | On or near Supermarket | Local resolution |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Melbourne Avenue | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Marconi Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Church Street | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Rennie Place | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 23 | 23 | 27 | 20 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.4 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Burglary | 5 | 5 | 2.7 | 3.8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.8 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 2.7 | Safer |
| Other Crime | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.5 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.84 | 0.84 | 0.55 | 0.52 | Safer |
| Public Order | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.83 | 0.81 | 0.60 | 0.57 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.91 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 5 | 6 | 3.5 | 4.4 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 30 | 36 | 37 | 39 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Chelmsford that are named, and have had crimes recorded within their boundaries during 2021.
| Name | ASB | Drugs | Public Order | Robbery | VSO | All Others | Crimes per Hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coronation Park | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0.35 |
| Lionmede Recreation Ground | 10 | - | 2 | - | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Pollards Meadow | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0.73 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 108% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 68% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 24% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 0.90% safer |
| Chelmsford | 83.22 | - |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 8% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 8% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 25% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 32% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 37% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 45% more dangerous |
Central Chelmsford is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Chelmsford, followed by Waterhouse Lane & Admirals Park in second place, and Melbourne as the third most dangerous area. Chelmsford's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Great Baddow North & East, Moulsham East, and Springfield South & Coronation Park.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Chelmsford | 3,855 | 302 | First |
| Galleywood | 499 | 70 | Fourth |
| Great Baddow North & East | 360 | 46 | Seventh |
| Melbourne | 921 | 111 | Third |
| Moulsham East | 227 | 33 | Eighth |
| Moulsham West | 454 | 56 | Fifth |
| Springfield South & Coronation Park | 428 | 55 | Sixth |
| Waterhouse Lane & Admirals Park | 1,258 | 120 | Second |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Chelmsford for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Moulsham East (44) | Central Chelmsford (824) |
| Bicycle Theft | Great Baddow North & East (3) | Central Chelmsford (275) |
| Burglary | Springfield South & Coronation Park (19) | Waterhouse Lane & Admirals Park (98) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Moulsham East (20) | Central Chelmsford (236) |
| Drugs | Moulsham East (6) | Central Chelmsford (160) |
| Other Crime | Moulsham East (5) | Central Chelmsford (153) |
| Other Theft | Moulsham East (10) | Central Chelmsford (270) |
| Possession of Weapons | Galleywood (1) | Central Chelmsford (23) |
| Public Order | Moulsham East (21) | Central Chelmsford (401) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Moulsham West (2) | Central Chelmsford (27) |
| Shoplifting | Moulsham East (8) | Central Chelmsford (314) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Great Baddow North & East (1) | Central Chelmsford (104) |
| Vehicle Crime | Great Baddow North & East (24) | Galleywood (55) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Moulsham East (104) | Central Chelmsford (1,698) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Chelmsford change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Chelmsford saw a 107% increase in drugs. Chelmsford saw a large fall in theft from the person during May, when it fell by 92% compared to May in 2019. Rates of burglary and criminal damage and arson both fell year-on-year for every month during Chelmsford's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +12% | +29% | +18% | +17% | +18% | +12% | +5% | +2% | +71% | +16% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -65% | +21% | -47% | -49% | +106% | -26% | -80% | -55% | -21% |
| Burglary | -59% | -76% | -61% | -35% | -62% | +6% | -39% | -56% | -70% | -52% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -4% | -44% | -45% | -15% | +34% | -1% | -25% | -26% | -42% | -53% |
| Drugs | -46% | +51% | +107% | -25% | - | -32% | -52% | -7% | -25% | -20% |
| Other Crime | -31% | +4% | +52% | -28% | +20% | -4% | -40% | -36% | -27% | -73% |
| Other Theft | -52% | -65% | -47% | -29% | -18% | +22% | +13% | -20% | -27% | -6% |
| Possession of Weapons | -36% | -73% | +33% | -63% | -56% | +14% | -57% | -13% | +17% | -30% |
| Public Order | -23% | -28% | -10% | +8% | +30% | +55% | +11% | +2% | +15% | -23% |
| Robbery | -38% | -75% | -45% | +100% | -64% | -14% | - | +33% | - | -71% |
| Shoplifting | +15% | -30% | -53% | -35% | +15% | +45% | -1% | +3% | -39% | -61% |
| Theft From the Person | -50% | -55% | -92% | -86% | -53% | -13% | +67% | +8% | -72% | -38% |
| Vehicle Crime | -67% | -81% | -58% | -54% | -12% | -49% | -40% | -17% | -20% | -38% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +6% | -11% | -7% | +6% | +21% | +2% | +20% | -18% | +0% | -8% |
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