Crime in Colchester
Police.uk reported crime in Colchester, Essex. Category breakdown, 24-month trend, and postcode-district hot and cold spots within the town.
Crime in Colchester by category
Last 12 months, all 14 Police.uk categories. Bars are scaled to the largest category in Colchester.
| Category | Incidents | % of mix | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 3,849 | 37.2% |
|
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,082 | 10.5% |
|
| Criminal damage and arson | 979 | 9.5% |
|
| Public order | 854 | 8.3% |
|
| Other theft | 773 | 7.5% |
|
| Vehicle crime | 724 | 7.0% |
|
| Shoplifting | 444 | 4.3% |
|
| Burglary | 419 | 4.1% |
|
| Drugs | 375 | 3.6% |
|
| Other crime | 255 | 2.5% |
|
| Bicycle theft | 243 | 2.4% |
|
| Possession of weapons | 130 | 1.3% |
|
| Robbery | 125 | 1.2% |
|
| Theft from the person | 96 | 0.9% |
|
Where Colchester's crime mix differs from the UK
Top 5 categories where Colchester's 12-month share differs most from the national average. Percentage-point delta. Positive means more concentrated in Colchester than the UK as a whole.
| Category | Colchester | UK | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 10.5% | 16.3% | -5.9 pp |
| Violence and sexual offences | 37.2% | 31.7% | +5.5 pp |
| Bicycle theft | 2.4% | 1.1% | +1.2 pp |
| Theft from the person | 0.9% | 1.7% | -0.8 pp |
| Burglary | 4.1% | 4.7% | -0.7 pp |
Monthly incident volume
Nov 2023 to Oct 2025. Police.uk publishes ~2 months in arrears.
| Month | Value |
|---|---|
| 2023-11 | 867 |
| 2023-12 | 830 |
| 2024-01 | 825 |
| 2024-02 | 810 |
| 2024-03 | 831 |
| 2024-04 | 747 |
| 2024-05 | 830 |
| 2024-06 | 866 |
| 2024-07 | 978 |
| 2024-08 | 856 |
| 2024-09 | 874 |
| 2024-10 | 896 |
| 2024-11 | 887 |
| 2024-12 | 797 |
| 2025-01 | 757 |
| 2025-02 | 739 |
| 2025-03 | 836 |
| 2025-04 | 834 |
| 2025-05 | 923 |
| 2025-06 | 926 |
| 2025-07 | 933 |
| 2025-08 | 924 |
| 2025-09 | 884 |
| 2025-10 | 908 |
Hottest postcode districts in Colchester
- CO1 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO2 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO3 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO4 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO5 10,348 incidents (12m)
Quietest postcode districts in Colchester
- CO1 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO2 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO3 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO4 10,348 incidents (12m)
- CO5 10,348 incidents (12m)
Postcode-district counts use the bounding box of every address in the district, so they're approximate. Treat them as a relative ranking within Colchester rather than an absolute count.
What Colchester crime data isn't
- Reported, not actual. Many crimes go unreported. The data reflects what reached Police.uk, not the underlying incidence rate.
- Locations are obfuscated. Each incident is mapped to a snap point within roughly 250 metres of the true location to protect victim privacy.
- Force-by-force inconsistency. Different police forces classify and record borderline incidents differently. Comparing two areas covered by different forces needs care.
- Patrol-density bias. Areas with heavier patrol presence record more incidents, partly because more crime is observed and reported.
FAQ
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