Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO1 · Essex
512
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
IP18 · Suffolk
17
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Southwold has less crime — 17 vs 512 incidents in April 2026.
Colchester recorded substantially more crime than Southwold in April 2026 — 512 incidents compared to 17, a 30.1x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Colchester sees higher rates of Shoplifting (72) and Anti-social behaviour (72), while Southwold has more Other theft (5) and Public order (2). Colchester sits above the national average for recorded crime while Southwold 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, Southwold recorded fewer crimes than Colchester — 17 vs 512 incidents. That is 97% fewer crimes. Southwold is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Colchester saw higher rates of Shoplifting and Anti-social behaviour while Southwold had more Other theft and Public order. Overall, Southwold recorded fewer total crimes (17 vs 512).