Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
RM5 · Greater London
187
crimes in March 2026
Near national average
SS2 · Southend-on-Sea
689
crimes in March 2026
Above national average
Romford has less crime — 187 vs 689 incidents in March 2026.
Southend-on-Sea recorded substantially more crime than Romford in March 2026 — 689 incidents compared to 187, a 3.7x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Romford sees higher rates of Other theft (19), while Southend-on-Sea has more Shoplifting (64). 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 March 2026 Police data, Romford recorded fewer crimes than Southend-on-Sea — 187 vs 689 incidents. That is 73% fewer crimes. Southend-on-Sea is above the national average.
The main difference lies in crime type. In March 2026, Romford saw higher rates of Other theft while Southend-on-Sea had more Shoplifting. Overall, Romford recorded fewer total crimes (187 vs 689).