Colchester is the second safest major town in Essex, and is the 36th most dangerous overall out of Essex's 315 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Colchester in 2021 was 96 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Essex's overall crime rate, coming in 16% higher than the Essex rate of 81 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Colchester is the 37th most dangerous major town, and the 631st most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In November 2021, Colchester had the worst crime rate in Essex for drugs, with 56 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.41 per 1,000 inhabitants. June 2021 was also a bad month for Colchester residents, when it was Essex's most dangerous area for other crime, recording 29 crimes at a rate of 0.21 per 1,000 residents. Colchester recorded 80 reports of shoplifting during December 2021, making its crime rate of 0.58 the worst for shoplifting in Essex that month.
The most common crimes in Colchester are violence and sexual offences, with 6,682 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 48. This is 13% higher than 2020's figure of 5,834 offences and a difference of 6.13 from 2020's crime rate of 42. Colchester's least common crime is robbery, with 92 offences recorded in 2021, an increase of 1.1% from 2020's figure of 91 crimes.
Second Safest
Major Towns, Essex
27% higher, regional crime rate
East of England
24% higher, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Colchester is 27% higher than the East of England and 24% higher than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Colchester | |
| East of England | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Colchester 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 | 96 | 13,278 |
| 2020 | 90 | 12,482 |
| 2019 | 101 | 13,940 |
| 2018 | 95 | 13,139 |
| 2017 | 81 | 11,134 |
| 2016 | 66 | 9,109 |
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| Colchester | Essex | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 3,418 | 24.74 | 38,402 | 20.80 | 16% more dangerous |
| Bicycle Theft | 177 | 1.28 | 1,650 | 0.89 | 30% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 418 | 3.03 | 5,840 | 3.16 | 4.3% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 1,180 | 8.54 | 13,534 | 7.33 | 14% more dangerous |
| Drugs | 649 | 4.70 | 5,362 | 2.90 | 38% more dangerous |
| Other Crime | 283 | 2.05 | 3,180 | 1.72 | 16% more dangerous |
| Other Theft | 863 | 6.25 | 10,249 | 5.55 | 11% more dangerous |
| Possession of Weapons | 103 | 0.75 | 1,182 | 0.64 | 15% more dangerous |
| Public Order | 1,526 | 11.05 | 16,425 | 8.89 | 20% more dangerous |
| Robbery | 92 | 0.67 | 1,250 | 0.68 | 1.5% safer |
| Shoplifting | 830 | 6.01 | 7,095 | 3.84 | 36% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 100 | 0.72 | 1,038 | 0.56 | 22% more dangerous |
| Vehicle Crime | 375 | 2.71 | 10,154 | 5.50 | 103% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 6,682 | 48.37 | 72,864 | 39.46 | 18% more dangerous |
| Major Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford | 9,883 | 83.22 | 16% safer |
| Colchester | 13,278 | 96.13 | - |
| Grays | 7,617 | 100.76 | 4.6% more dangerous |
| Harlow | 10,086 | 115.68 | 17% more dangerous |
| Basildon | 14,679 | 124.74 | 23% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ipswich Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Fairfield Gardens | Action to be taken by another organisation |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Rambler Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Valentinus Crescent | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Walnut Tree Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Alefounder Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Scarfe Way | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Holman Crescent | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Albany Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Public order | On or near Harwich Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Land Lane | Offender given a caution |
| March 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Talavera Crescent | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Pedestrian Subway | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Edward Paxman Gardens | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Other crime | On or near James Street | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Princess Drive | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Ipswich Road | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Burglary | On or near Holborough Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near Rainsborowe Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Glisson Square | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 29 | 27 | 31 | 25 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.9 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 5 | 3.9 | 3.0 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | Safer |
| Drugs | 2.5 | 4.4 | 6 | 4.7 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.93 | 1.0 | 0.78 | 0.75 | Safer |
| Public Order | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.66 | 0.67 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 9 | 9 | 5 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.58 | 0.72 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 2.7 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 39 | 44 | 42 | 48 | Getting worse |
We only display green spaces in Colchester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexden Park | - | 1 | - | - | - | 0 | 0.09 |
| Major Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry | 39.93 | 141% safer |
| Birmingham | 49.60 | 94% safer |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 43% safer |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 17% safer |
| Sheffield | 90.03 | 7% safer |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 6% safer |
| Colchester | 96.13 | - |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 14% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 22% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 27% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 36% more dangerous |
Central Colchester is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Colchester, followed by Greenstead in second place, and New Town & Hythe as the third most dangerous area. Colchester's safest neighbourhoods are, in order, Abbey Field, Lexden, and Prettygate & Westlands.
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Field | 555 | 71 | Seventh |
| Central Colchester | 3,264 | 281 | First |
| Greenstead | 1,845 | 136 | Second |
| Highwoods | 771 | 78 | Sixth |
| Lexden | 366 | 65 | Eighth |
| Mile End & Braiswick | 1,713 | 115 | Fourth |
| New Town & Hythe | 1,842 | 131 | Third |
| Parson's Heath | 1,112 | 80 | Fifth |
| Prettygate & Westlands | 441 | 60 | Ninth |
Showing the safest and most dangerous parts of Colchester for specific criminal activity, with crime count and rate shown in brackets.
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Prettygate & Westlands (105) | Central Colchester (861) |
| Bicycle Theft | Lexden (1) | Central Colchester (87) |
| Burglary | Lexden (7) | Central Colchester (85) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Prettygate & Westlands (25) | Central Colchester (271) |
| Drugs | Prettygate & Westlands (5) | Central Colchester (156) |
| Other Crime | Prettygate & Westlands (6) | Greenstead (45) |
| Other Theft | Lexden (19) | Central Colchester (240) |
| Possession of Weapons | Prettygate & Westlands (1) | Central Colchester (38) |
| Public Order | Prettygate & Westlands (46) | Central Colchester (387) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Highwoods (2) | Central Colchester (33) |
| Shoplifting | Abbey Field (3) | Central Colchester (333) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | New Town & Hythe (4) | Central Colchester (63) |
| Vehicle Crime | Prettygate & Westlands (8) | Central Colchester (51) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Abbey Field (260) | Central Colchester (1,484) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Colchester change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in May, when Colchester saw a 200% increase in drugs. Colchester saw a large fall in theft from the person during April, when it fell by 91% compared to April in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | -20% | +56% | +15% | -4% | +3% | +8% | +2% | +26% | +81% | +113% |
| Bicycle Theft | +8% | -27% | -60% | -54% | -39% | -11% | -33% | -23% | +43% | +10% |
| Burglary | -42% | -59% | -45% | -57% | +10% | -16% | +54% | -46% | -45% | -37% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +37% | -40% | -29% | -12% | -15% | -28% | +1% | -26% | -35% | -27% |
| Drugs | +52% | +57% | +200% | +64% | +44% | -28% | -23% | +79% | +3% | -16% |
| Other Crime | +108% | -22% | +7% | -34% | -63% | +50% | +4% | +18% | -47% | +63% |
| Other Theft | -16% | -43% | -42% | -12% | -17% | -3% | -19% | -37% | -22% | -21% |
| Possession of Weapons | -18% | -73% | +69% | - | -42% | -25% | -9% | -18% | -29% | -67% |
| Public Order | +21% | -16% | +22% | +8% | -18% | -12% | -12% | - | +19% | +6% |
| Robbery | -44% | -58% | -50% | -21% | -7% | -88% | -42% | -31% | -18% | -20% |
| Shoplifting | -50% | -69% | -80% | -21% | -61% | -48% | -26% | -45% | -38% | -42% |
| Theft From the Person | -57% | -91% | -64% | -13% | -55% | -25% | -50% | -36% | -63% | -56% |
| Vehicle Crime | +47% | -44% | -17% | -32% | +8% | +13% | +18% | -70% | -55% | -24% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -19% | -18% | -12% | +0% | +2% | +22% | +11% | -9% | -11% | -2% |
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