Total Crime Rate

53.4 per 1,000 5/10 · Average

All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026

Violent Crime Rate

33.2 per 1,000 6/10 · Average

May 2025 - Apr 2026
Latest update: 06.06.2026 Crime figures are sourced from data.police.uk and are typically published with a 3-month delay.
Crime rate per 1000 residents
  • All crimes 53.4 5/10
  • Violent crimes 33.2 6/10
  • Violence and sexual offences 22.1 5/10
  • Public order 11.1 8/10
  • Anti-social behaviour 9.2 5/10
  • Drugs 3.7 4/10
  • Bicycle theft 1.8 1/10
  • Criminal damage and arson 1.8 1/10
  • Other theft 1.8 1/10
  • Vehicle crime 1.8 1/10
  • Burglary 0.0 1/10
  • Other crime 0.0 1/10
  • Possession of weapons 0.0 1/10
  • Robbery 0.0 1/10
  • Shoplifting 0.0 1/10
  • Theft from the person 0.0 1/10
Values shown per 1,000 residents · May 2025 - Apr 2026 · Rating compares this oa to UK peers of the same type.
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Crime overview

Birchwood Drive area has the 27th lowest crime rate of 60 local areas in Highwoods , and the 305th lowest crime rate of 619 local areas in Colchester .

At least one of the neighbouring streets has high or very high crime levels. However, overall crime around this postcode is more mixed, with some nearby areas experiencing lower crime.

The overall crime rate in the area around Birchwood Drive (CO4 6AW) in the last 12 months was 53.4 per 1,000 residents and was 40.4% lower than the Highwoods average (89.7 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, this area’s most reported crimes were Violence and sexual offences with 12 offences recorded. The least common crime was Bicycle theft with 1 case , up 100.0% compared to 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Anti-social behaviour ( 150.0% YoY). The sharpest decline was Criminal damage and arson ( -66.7% YoY).

Violent crimes totalled 18 (≈ 33.2 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were rising ( 38.5% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -31.5% comparing early vs recent averages) .

In the area around Birchwood Drive (CO4 6AW), the main crime hotspot is near Leech'S Lane. Police recorded 50 crimes here, including 36 violent or public-order offences. All these locations are within roughly 0.3 miles.

View Crime In Colchester

Crime Over Time in Birchwood Drive area

Showing crimes within 0.3 miles (12/12)
Month:
MonthCrimeLocation*Last Outcome
Apr 2026Shoplifting Supermarket Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Fox Way Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Nayland Road Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Drugs Raven Way Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Bicycle theft Raven Way Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Whitmore Drive —
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Defoe Crescent Action to be taken by another organisation
Apr 2026Other crime Kent Close Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Whitmore Drive —
Apr 2026Vehicle crime Defoe Crescent Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Whitmore Drive Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Leech'S Lane Under investigation
* on or near this location Page 1 • Showing 12 of 12

Data Sources

StreetScan crime figures are based on official UK open data:

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.

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