Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO1 · Essex
512
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
IP20 · Norfolk
10
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Harleston has less crime — 10 vs 512 incidents in April 2026.
Colchester recorded substantially more crime than Harleston in April 2026 — 512 incidents compared to 10, a 51.2x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Colchester sees higher rates of Shoplifting (72), while Harleston has more Criminal damage & arson (2). Colchester sits above the national average for recorded crime while Harleston 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, Harleston recorded fewer crimes than Colchester — 10 vs 512 incidents. That is 98% fewer crimes. Harleston is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Colchester saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Harleston had more Criminal damage & arson. Overall, Harleston recorded fewer total crimes (10 vs 512).