Crime in Southend-on-Sea
Recorded crime in Southend-on-Sea is 1.3 times the Southend-on-Sea council average and 1.7 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has fallen 11%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
Within 3 km of the centre of Southend-on-Sea: about 96,554 residents in 67 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 1/10High crime
- Living
- 8.7/10Excellent
- 5-year change
- −11%fewer crimes
- vs the council
- 1.3×the Southend-on-Sea council average
Neighbourhoods by Safety
Within 3 km of the centre of Southend-on-Sea.
Crime over 5 years
Down 11% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 3 km of Southend-on-Sea, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 1.3× the Southend-on-Sea council average (1.7× the England and Wales average). 131 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 67% of the harm here
- Burglary: 10% of the harm here
- Robbery: 8% of the harm here
"Violence and sexual offences" is 67% 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: 32 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 | 2.0 |
| Burglary | 5.8 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 59.4 |
| Drugs | 5.2 |
| Possession of weapons | 1.5 |
| Other crime | 2.6 |
| Other theft | 9.8 |
| Theft from the person | 1.5 |
| Vehicle crime | 7.4 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 11.6 |
| Public order | 12.2 |
| Bicycle theft | 2.3 |
| Shoplifting | 10.0 |
Postcode districts in Southend-on-Sea
Nearby towns
Council: Southend-on-Sea
Questions about crime in Southend-on-Sea
- Is Southend-on-Sea a safe place to live?
- Southend-on-Sea scores 1 out of 10 for safety (high crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.3 times the Southend-on-Sea council average.
- Is crime going up or down in Southend-on-Sea?
- Down 11% over 5 years, from 14,391 recorded crimes a year to 12,879.
- What is the most common crime in Southend-on-Sea?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 59 per 1,000 residents a year.
- How does crime in Southend-on-Sea compare with Southend-on-Sea council?
- Crime severity in Southend-on-Sea is 1.3 times the Southend-on-Sea council average.