Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
CO4 · Essex
175
crimes in April 2026
Near national average
IP16 · Suffolk
30
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Leiston has less crime — 30 vs 175 incidents in April 2026.
Colchester recorded substantially more crime than Leiston in April 2026 — 175 incidents compared to 30, a 5.8x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Colchester sees higher rates of Shoplifting (16), while Leiston has more Anti-social behaviour (3). Both areas sit near the national average, with modest differences in their overall safety profile.
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 175 incidents. That is 83% 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 Anti-social behaviour. Overall, Leiston recorded fewer total crimes (30 vs 175).