Finchingfield Crime Rate

Finchingfield is a safe and picturesque settlement with a safety score of 79/100, which is in line with the UK average. The overall crime rate in Finchingfield is 81.4 per 1,000 people, notably lower than the national average of 91.7. Most encouragingly, the area is experiencing a significant downward trend in crime, with a substantial 27.5% decrease in total offences over the last year. With a property crime rate of 20.3 per 1,000, Finchingfield offers a secure environment for its residents. This data-driven overview provides a detailed look at the types of crime reported and the times they occur, helping the community understand and maintain their local safety.

In Finchingfield, the crime profile is led by violence and sexual offences, which account for 51.7% of all reported incidents, or 42.1 per 1,000 residents. Other theft (11.2%) and public order offences (11.2%) are the next most common categories. This suggests that personal and social offences are more frequent than traditional home-based crimes in this area.

Property-related crime in Finchingfield stands at a rate of 20.3 per 1,000 people. This is notably lower than the UK average property crime rate of 32.3. Within this category, other theft is the most frequent concern (11.2%), followed by burglary at 4.3%. Vehicle crime is exceptionally low, representing less than 1% of total crime. For residents, this indicates a very secure environment for vehicles, though the high percentage of theft in the morning and afternoon and the night-time peak in burglary suggest that maintaining home and personal property security remains important.

The crime trend in Finchingfield is currently decreasing significantly, with a 27.5% reduction in total offences compared to the previous year. This is a very positive indicator for the community, showing that the area is becoming substantially safer over time. Monthly data from Dec 2024 to Nov 2025 shows that the crime rate per 1,000 residents has fluctuated but generally trended downwards.

The year started with low rates in the winter, before peaking in the spring and summer, with May 2025 reaching 12.6 and August 2025 at 11.2. However, following these summer peaks, the rate decreased steadily through the autumn, ending at 3.5 in November. These seasonal variations are common, but the overall double-digit percentage decrease over the 12-month period reinforces Finchingfield's status as an improving and safe place to live.

How To Keep Safe in Finchingfield

The most common crime in Finchingfield is violence and sexual offences, accounting for over half of all reported incidents. While the area is safe, personal awareness remains a key safety practice.

1. Secure Your Home at Night: With 27% of burglaries occurring between 12am and 6am, always ensure all doors and windows are fully locked before going to bed.
2. Be Mindful of Daytime Theft: Theft is most common during the morning and afternoon. Avoid leaving valuable items in plain sight in your car or near open windows at home.
3. Perimeter Lighting: Motion-activated lighting is an effective way to deter opportunistic criminals, particularly at night when the cover of darkness can be used for burglary.
4. Community Vigilance: Stay connected with your neighbours. In a community like Finchingfield, residents are often the best at spotting and reporting unusual activity.
5. Report Public Order Issues: Public order offences are tied for the second most common crime. Reporting these incidents helps the police manage the local environment and maintain the area's safety.

Crime in Finchingfield follows a clear temporal cycle, with a strong focus on daytime theft and night-time burglary. During the morning (6am-12pm) and afternoon (12pm-6pm), theft-related crimes are highly prevalent, accounting for 64% and 65% of all offences in those windows respectively. This suggests that the majority of acquisitive crime occurs during the most active hours of the day.

As the day transitions to night (12am-6am), the focus shifts, with burglary representing 27% of all night-time offences. This is a notable concentration, suggesting that intruders in this area prefer the cover of darkness. Vehicle crime remains exceptionally low across all time periods. The evening period (6pm-12am) is characterised by a higher proportion of miscellaneous 'other' crimes, which make up 47% of the evening's total. For residents, the data indicates that daytime property awareness and overnight home security are the most important areas for personal safety management.

In the local region, Finchingfield is a more active settlement than its very small neighbours. Nearby areas like Great Bardfield, Wethersfield, School Green, and Shalford all reported a crime rate of 0.0 per 1,000 people in the latest data period. However, these areas are much smaller hamlets with very low populations. Compared to the wider Braintree district and the UK as a whole, Finchingfield remains a safe and secure place to live, especially given its strong recent trend of decreasing crime. For those looking for a safe residential hub in the Essex countryside, Finchingfield offers a balanced and improving safety profile.

With a property crime rate of 20.3 per 1,000 in Finchingfield, protecting your home is about being proactive against opportunistic theft and burglary. While vehicle crime is almost non-existent here, theft is common during the day, and burglary peaks at night (27%). Traditional security systems often only provide a recording of a crime after it has occurred, which is a reactive approach that doesn't stop the incident.

For Finchingfield residents, scOS provides a proactive alternative. scOS is an AI-powered home security operating system that uses multi-camera intelligence to monitor your property boundaries in real-time. It identifies potential threats, such as someone loitering near your home at night, and can autonomously activate deterrents like high-intensity lighting or audible warnings. This destroys the element of surprise and stops the intruder before they can act. By choosing proactive protection over simple recording, you ensure your home remains a difficult target, helping to maintain Finchingfield's positive trend of decreasing crime.