Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CM1 · Essex
335
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
CM16 · Essex
72
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Epping has less crime — 72 vs 335 incidents in April 2026.
Chelmsford recorded substantially more crime than Epping in April 2026 — 335 incidents compared to 72, a 4.7x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Chelmsford sees higher rates of Shoplifting (42), while Epping has more Other theft (8). Chelmsford sits above the national average for recorded crime while Epping is below — a significant gap for anyone weighing up the two.
Full reports cover 24 months of trends, ward breakdowns, outcome rates, and a detailed safety score — from £4.99.
Based on April 2026 Police data, Epping recorded fewer crimes than Chelmsford — 72 vs 335 incidents. That is 79% fewer crimes. Epping is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Chelmsford saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Epping had more Other theft. Overall, Epping recorded fewer total crimes (72 vs 335).