Exploring Crime and Safety in Essex: A 2024 Overview

Quick Facts

• Essex’s crime rate: 78.0 crimes per 1,000 people.
• Most common crimes: Violent and sexual offences
• Areas with higher crime rates: Tilbury, South Ockendon and Clacton-on- SES
• Safest areas: Hockley, Wivenhoe and Saffron Walden.
• Key point: Over the past five years, Essex’s crime risk score has decreased by 66 points.

Source: www.crimerate.co.uk/essex

Is Essex Safe?

Recent data from CrimeRate shows some positive signs. Over the past 12 months, Essex’s crime risk score has dropped by about 20 points, suggesting a short-term improvement in safety. Looking at a wider time frame, the crime risk score has decreased by 66 points over the past five years, which points to a more significant reduction in crime risk. This could be due to factors like better policing or community crime prevention efforts.

On the other hand, the 10-year trend shows an increase of 45 points in Essex’s crime risk score, indicating that over a longer period, crime risk has risen.

While there have been improvements, this mixed trend highlights the need for ongoing efforts to ensure safety. Overall, Essex remains relatively safe, but it’s important for people to stay aware and take precautions, especially in higher-risk areas.

Most Common Crimes In The County

Crime rates in Essex show a focus on vehicle crime, theft from the person, and robbery, with each surpassing the national average.

Vehicle Crime: With a crime rate of 7.20 reports per 1,000 people, vehicle crime is 1.81 times the national average, accounting for 13,392 incidents in the past year.

Theft from the Person: This crime type has a rate of 0.63 reports per 1,000 people, making it 1.34 times the national average.

Robbery: With 1,438 cases reported, robbery has a crime rate of 0.77 reports per 1,000 people, working out at 1.33 times the national average.

For more detail on crime in Essex, check out CrimeRate.

Is Crime In Essex Increasing?

Based on recent crime statistics, Essex’s crime landscape shows some concerning trends, but also signs of improvement. Some of the most frequent crime types include:

• Violent Crime: Representing nearly 39% of all crime, the violent crime rate is 10% higher than the national average, although it has decreased by 9.1% over the past year.
• Shoplifting: This crime saw a sharp 12.2% rise. However, the rate remains slightly behind the regional average.
• Vehicle Crime: With a crime rate 130% times the national average, vehicle crime remains a major concern in Essex, making up 8.1% of all reported crimes.

For a more detailed look at crime trends in Essex, you can visit Plumplot’s Essex crime stats page.

What Are The Most Dangerous Areas In Essex?

Essex is home to a variety of towns and cities, each with their own unique safety profile. While some areas are relatively safe, others report higher crime rates. In this section, we’ll highlight the towns in the region with the most significant crime rates and provide an overview of where residents and visitors may face more safety risks.

Tilbury has the highest crime rate in Essex, with a rate of 165 incidents per 1,000 people. In 2023, the most common crimes were violence and sexual offences, with 809 incidences reported

South Ockendon follows closely with a crime rate of 143 per 1,000 people. This makes it the second most dangerous small town in Essex, according to data from CrimeRate.

Clacton-on-Sea comes next. The area had a crime rate of 138 in 2023. This was 64% higher than Essex’s overall rate of 84 incidents per 1,000 people.

And The Safest Areas?

Some of the safest areas in Essex, with lower crime rates compared to the county average, include:

• Hockley: Currently the safest small town in the county, with a crime rate of 42.64 per 1,000 people. Despite violence and sexual offences being the most common crime in 2023, this was a 38% decrease than 2022.
• Wivenhoe: With a crime rate of 42.99 per 1,000 people, the data indicates a safer environment. The town’s rate currently sits 36% lower than the national rate for England, Ireland and Wales.
• Saffron Walden: This area has a crime rate of 46.30 per 1,000 and a CrimeRate Index of 1.21, suggesting it is safer than many other parts of Essex. The least common crime in 2023 was bicycle theft, with the most common being violence and sexual offences. .
• South Woodham Ferrers: While slightly higher at 48.31 crimes per 1,000, this area remains on the safer end of the crime in Essex scale. Although violence and sexual offences had the most incidents at 337 in 2023, this did come down by 3.2% from 2022.

These areas offer a relatively safer living experience in Essex, making them desirable locations for those seeking more secure surroundings.

Breaking Down The Essex Crime Rate

Essex experiences significant variation in crime rates across its towns and cities. Understanding these dynamics can help residents and businesses take important steps to improve safety in their communities. So, let’s take a look…

Crime In Grays Essex

Grays is currently considered to be Essex’s third most dangerous town.

In 2023, Grays had an overall crime rate of 128 crimes committed per 1,000 people. This was significantly worse (53% higher) than Essex’s overall crime rate, which was 84 per 1,000 people.

Grays worst crime in 2023 was violent and sexual offences. These types of crimes were committed over 1,654 times.

The table below highlights the areas in Grays with the highest recorded crime levels.

Neighbourhood	Crime Count	Crime Rate
West Thurrock and South Stifford	2,668	114
Grays Riverside	2,056	185
Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park	1,086	131

Crime In Harlow (Essex)

Harlow is currently considered the most dangerous town in Essex. Last year, Harlow had an overall crime rate of 135 crimes reported per 1,000 people. Compared to the crime rate in Essex as a whole, Harlow was 60% higher. The town was also rated within the top 20 most dangerous locations out of all major towns in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The most common crimes are violence and sexual offences. Last year, these types of crimes were committed over 4,464 times.

The following table provides an overview of the Harlow neighbourhoods that have experienced the highest crime rates.:

Neighbourhood	Crime Count	Crime Rate
Toddbrook	2,053	210
Mark Hall	1,187	107
Little Parndon and Hare Street	1,209	69

Crime In Basildon (Essex)

Data from CrimeRate puts Basildon as the second most dangerous major town in Essex and in the top twenty most dangerous out of all the county’s 315 cities, towns and villages. In 2023, Basildon had an overall crime rate of 131 crimes reported per 1,000 people. Compared to the crime rate in Essex as a whole, Basildon was 55% higher. In January 2024, the town ranked as the worst major town in Essex for both burglary and other theft.

Below we’ve listed the neighbourhoods in Basildon with the highest crime rates:

Neighbourhood	Crime Count	Crime Rate
Fryerns	2,377	95
St Martin’s	2,247	176
Pitsea South East	1838	175

Crime In Braintree

Braintree is ranked as Essex’s second most dangerous medium-sized town.

This area had a crime rate of 101 incidents per 1,000 people in 2023. This was 19% higher than Essex’s overall crime rate.

The town is also rated as the 1037th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages in the UK.

The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Braintree are listed in the table below:

Neighbourhood	Crime Count	Crime Rate
Braintreen Central & Beckers Green	1,685	146
Bocking South	620	76
Bocking Blackwater	517	75

Crime In Colchester (Essex)

Colchester is ranked as the safest major town in the county. Last year, the town had an overall crime rate of 114 crimes per 1,000 people.

Compared to the crime rate in Essex as a whole, Colchester is 35% higher. Additionally, the town is rated as the 43rd most dangerous major town in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

In January 2024, Colchester was the worst major town in Essex for robbery, with 11 crimes reported. That month also saw the the area as as Essex’s most dangerous major town for violence and sexual offences, recording 467 crimes at a rate of 4.5 per 1,000 people.

The neighbourhoods in Colchester with the highest crime rates are listed below.

Neighbourhood	Crime Count	Crime Rate
Castle	3,517	160
Greenstead	1,779	156
New Town & Christ Church	1.494	140

Crime In Chelmsford Essex

Chelmsford is ranked as the second safest major town in Essex, yet is still considered one of the twenty most dangerous areas in the county. Last year, Chelmsford had an overall crime rate of 127 crimes per 1,000 people. Compared to the crime rate in Essex as a whole, this was 50% higher. The top neighbourhoods for high amounts of crime in Chelmsford are listed in the table below:

Neighbourhood	Crime Count	Crime Rate
Moulsham & Central	3,694	170
Marconi	1,084	105
St Andrews	904	142

How to Stay Safe in Essex: Practical Tips

Whether you live or work in Essex, there are several ways to enhance your safety and reduce the risk of crime:

For Residents:

• Secure your property: Install high-quality locks, reinforce doors, and ensure outdoor areas are well-lit.
• Use technology: Consider CCTV and alarm systems as additional layers of protection.
• Stay vigilant: Avoid leaving valuables visible in your home or vehicle, and be cautious about sharing personal details online.

For Businesses:

Operating in Essex’s more crime-prone areas may require professional security measures:

• Keyholding services: Ensure quick response to alarms after hours.
• Mobile patrols: Increase visibility and deter criminal activity.
• On-site security: Provide comprehensive protection for employees and customers.

Having security measures in place can significantly reduce the likelihood of crime for both residents and businesses in Essex.

Summing Up Crime In Essex

In 2024, Essex presents a mixed picture when it comes to safety. While some areas are becoming safer, others still face challenges. As crime trends fluctuate, it’s essential for residents and businesses to stay vigilant and adopt practical safety measures to ensure the ongoing security of their communities.

Staying informed, using security measures, and working together as a community are key to making Essex a safer place for everyone.

You can discover more about crime and safety in the South East in our other articles. For example, Crime in Milton Keynes: Safe or Severe?

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Contact us today to learn how we can help protect your home or business in Essex.