Crime in Brightlingsea
Recorded crime in Brightlingsea is 0.6 times the Tendring average and 0.7 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 17%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Brightlingsea: about 8,849 residents in 6 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 6/10Average crime
- Living
- 6.9/10Good
- 5-year change
- −17%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 0.6×the Tendring average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 1.5 km of the centre of Brightlingsea.
Crime over 5 years
Down 17% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Brightlingsea, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 0.6× the Tendring average (0.7× the England and Wales average). 49 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 72% of the harm here
- Burglary: 12% of the harm here
- Other theft: 4% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 72% of the harm here. It is a broad police category: most of these crimes are assaults without injury, harassment and threats, often indoors between people who know each other, and only a small part are sexual or serious violent offences. Police data does not say which, so each one is weighted at the England and Wales average for the category, which can overstate a quiet residential area.
Anti-social behaviour: 11 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.3 |
| Burglary | 2.5 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 24.1 |
| Drugs | 1.2 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.4 |
| Other crime | 1.4 |
| Other theft | 4.2 |
| Theft from the person | 0.1 |
| Vehicle crime | 2.6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 6.4 |
| Public order | 4.5 |
| Bicycle theft | 0.3 |
| Shoplifting | 1.2 |
Postcode districts in Brightlingsea
Nearby towns
Council: Tendring
Questions about crime in Brightlingsea
- Is Brightlingsea a safe place to live?
- Brightlingsea scores 6 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 0.6 times the Tendring average.
- Is crime going up or down in Brightlingsea?
- Down 17% over 5 years, from 479 recorded crimes a year to 398.
- What is the most common crime in Brightlingsea?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 24 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Brightlingsea compare with Tendring?
- Crime severity in Brightlingsea is 0.6 times the Tendring average.