Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO1 · Essex
521
crimes in March 2026
Above national average
IP31 · Suffolk
9
crimes in March 2026
Below national average
Pakenham has less crime — 9 vs 521 incidents in March 2026.
Colchester recorded substantially more crime than Pakenham in March 2026 — 521 incidents compared to 9, a 57.9x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Colchester sees higher rates of Shoplifting (73), while Pakenham has more Criminal damage & arson (1). Colchester sits above the national average for recorded crime while Pakenham 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 March 2026 Police data, Pakenham recorded fewer crimes than Colchester — 9 vs 521 incidents. That is 98% fewer crimes. Pakenham is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In March 2026, Colchester saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Pakenham had more Criminal damage & arson. Overall, Pakenham recorded fewer total crimes (9 vs 521).