Chigwell Crime Overview

Chigwell is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in Essex, and is the 55th most dangerous overall out of Essex's 319 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Chigwell in 2020 was 79 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Essex's overall crime rate, coming in 1.2% higher than the Essex rate of 78 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Chigwell is the 134th most dangerous small town, and the 1,038th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

In November 2020, Chigwell was the worst small town in Essex for burglary, with 8 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.57 per 1,000 inhabitants. October 2020 was also a bad month for Chigwell residents, when it was Essex's most dangerous small town for drugs, recording 11 crimes at a rate of 0.79 per 1,000 residents. Chigwell recorded 9 reports of other theft during June 2020, making its crime rate of 0.64 the worst small town for other theft in Essex that month.

The most common crimes in Chigwell are violence and sexual offences, with 418 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 30. This is 8% lower than 2019's figure of 450 offences and a difference of 2.29 from 2019's crime rate of 32. Chigwell's least common crime is shoplifting, with 2 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 750% from 2019's figure of 17 crimes.

Compare Chigwell to other towns and cities

See how Chigwell shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Chigwell and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.

Chigwell Crime Map

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Crime in Chigwell Compared To Essex

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Summary of Crimes in Chigwell This Year

 ChigwellEssex 
CrimeCountRateCountRateRate Difference
Anti-Social Behaviour27919.9849,41426.7634% safer
Bicycle Theft50.361,8671.01181% safer
Burglary906.457,1213.8640% more dangerous
Criminal Damage and Arson755.3714,0377.6042% safer
Drugs493.516,4523.490.57% more dangerous
Other Crime211.503,2051.7416% safer
Other Theft976.959,4275.1027% more dangerous
Possession of Weapons40.291,1960.65124% safer
Public Order785.5915,0938.1746% safer
Robbery171.221,2270.6646% more dangerous
Shoplifting20.147,1183.852650% safer
Theft From the Person30.219920.54157% safer
Vehicle Crime24117.2610,5505.7167% more dangerous
Violence and Sexual Offences41829.9465,39435.4118% safer

Chigwell Compared to Nearby Small Towns

Small TownTotal CrimesCrime RateRate Difference
Heybridge50458.9634% safer
Buckhurst Hill75464.0023% safer
Burnham-on-Crouch53266.8518% safer
Halstead87071.5410% safer
Maldon1,06972.978% safer
Chigwell1,10078.79-
Myland1,27384.607% more dangerous
Epping1,06986.349% more dangerous
Rochford91394.9517% more dangerous
Waltham Abbey2,312102.8923% more dangerous
Harwich2,027107.0126% more dangerous

Crime Over Time in Chigwell

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Recent Crimes in Chigwell

DateCrime TypeLocationOutcome
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near CopperfieldUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near CopperfieldOffender given a caution
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near CopperfieldUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021DrugsOn or near ElmswoodOffender given a drugs possession warning
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near High MeadowsUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near High MeadowsUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near High MeadowsUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near The ChaseInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near The ChaseUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Criminal damage and arsonOn or near The ChildersInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near The ChildersInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near The ChildersInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near WillowmeadUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Brunel RoadInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Vehicle crimeOn or near Ingleby GardensInvestigation complete; no suspect identified
November 2021Public orderOn or near Stanwyck DriveUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Stanwyck DriveUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Stanwyck DriveUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Violence and sexual offencesOn or near Forest AvenueUnable to prosecute suspect
November 2021Other theftOn or near TrotwoodInvestigation complete; no suspect identified

Chigwell Crime Trends

 Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents 
Crime2017201820192020Trend
Anti-Social Behaviour22181420Getting worse
Bicycle Theft0.070.070.210.36Getting worse
Burglary141386Safer
Criminal Damage and Arson64.475Safer
Drugs1.73.12.23.5Getting worse
Other Crime1.31.41.61.5Getting worse
Other Theft86107Safer
Possession of Weapons0.500.360.140.29Safer
Public Order3.054.26Getting worse
Robbery (inc. mugging)0.930.720.931.2Getting worse
Shoplifting1.40.791.20.14Safer
Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing)0.140.360.500.21Safer
Vehicle Crime16172117Safer
Violence and Sexual Offences18213230Getting worse

Changes In Chigwell's Crime Rates Over Time

Comparing Chigwell to the UK's Major Cities

Small TownCrime RateRate Difference
Barnet67.7116% safer
Coventry77.411.8% safer
Chigwell78.79-
Croydon83.225% more dangerous
Sheffield85.818% more dangerous
Bristol86.219% more dangerous
Leicester97.4419% more dangerous
Birmingham102.8723% more dangerous
Liverpool107.2827% more dangerous
Bradford133.0241% more dangerous
Leeds137.1043% more dangerous

Crime in Chigwell's Neighbourhoods

NeighbourhoodCrime CountCrime RateDanger Rank
Chigwell56084First
Grange Hill54074Second

Crime in Chigwell During Coronavirus Lockdowns

Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Chigwell change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in June, when Chigwell saw a 700% increase in public order. Chigwell saw a large fall in robbery during September, when it fell by 80% compared to September in 2019.

CrimeMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Anti-Social Behaviour+6%+333%+93%-26%+8%+26%-6%+18%+164%+117%
Burglary---20%-63%+17%+25%+67%-14%-43%-43%
Criminal Damage and Arson---67%-69%-+100%--25%-44%-64%
Drugs--+67%-50%+50%+150%-+267%+300%-43%
Other Crime---+300%-+100%-+100%-60%-
Other Theft+22%--40%-31%-71%-60%-60%-18%-38%-68%
Public Order+33%+33%-+700%+225%--38%+150%+40%-43%
Robbery-50%------80%+100%+200%-
Shoplifting----------
Theft From the Person----------
Vehicle Crime-29%+7%-52%-16%+43%-29%+3%-13%-23%-70%
Violence and Sexual Offences+69%-45%-18%+6%+8%+18%+2%-11%-36%-39%

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Chigwell

What police force serves Chigwell?
Chigwell's local territorial police force is the Essex Police.
How dangerous is Chigwell?
Chigwell is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in Essex.
What is Chigwell's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Chigwell are violence and sexual offences.
What is the least common crime in Chigwell?
Chigwell's least common crime is shoplifting.

Last updated: 31 Dec 2021