Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO1 · Essex
512
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
IP16 · Suffolk
30
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Leiston has less crime — 30 vs 512 incidents in April 2026.
Colchester recorded substantially more crime than Leiston in April 2026 — 512 incidents compared to 30, a 17.1x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Colchester sees higher rates of Shoplifting (72), while Leiston has more Other theft (2). Colchester sits above the national average for recorded crime while Leiston 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, Leiston recorded fewer crimes than Colchester — 30 vs 512 incidents. That is 94% fewer crimes. Leiston 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 Leiston had more Other theft. Overall, Leiston recorded fewer total crimes (30 vs 512).