Brentwood Crime Rate

Understanding Crime in Brentwood

Brentwood demonstrates a notable safety profile, with an overall crime rate of 73.0 per 1,000 residents per year. This figure positions Brentwood significantly below the UK average crime rate of 93.4 per 1,000, indicating a comparatively safer environment. The area boasts an impressive safety score of 83 out of 100, surpassing the UK average safety score of 78. Recent trends show a stable crime landscape, with a marginal 1.7% change year-over-year. These statistics provide a foundational understanding of crime in Brentwood, with further detailed analysis available below.

About Brentwood

Brentwood, a charming market town in Essex, offers a blend of suburban tranquillity and accessible urban amenities, which collectively influence its crime statistics. Predominantly residential, the area benefits from a strong community feel, often associated with lower rates of certain crime types. However, its well-connected transport links, including a busy railway station with direct services to London, can attract a transient population, potentially contributing to opportunistic crimes such. The town centre's commercial areas, including shops and eateries, also present opportunities for retail-related offences like shoplifting. Economic stability within the district generally supports a lower crime environment, yet isolated incidents can still occur, reflecting the complexities of modern suburban living.

Crime Type Analysis in Brentwood

An examination of crime types in Brentwood reveals that Violence and sexual offences constitute the most frequent category, accounting for 1764 crimes (22.2 per 1,000 residents, 30.5% of the total). Shoplifting is the second most common, with 801 incidents (10.1 per 1,000, 13.8%), followed by Vehicle crime, recording 676 offences (8.5 per 1,000, 11.7%).

Focusing on property-related crime, which encompasses burglary, theft from person, criminal damage and arson, bicycle theft, vehicle crime, and other theft, Brentwood recorded a rate of 33.5 per 1,000 people per year. This is slightly above the UK average property crime rate of 33.2 per 1,000. Specifically, burglaries stand at 269 crimes (3.4 per 1,000), vehicle crime at 676 (8.5 per 1,000), and other theft at 421 (5.3 per 1,000). For residents and homeowners, these figures highlight the importance of securing personal property and vehicles, despite the area's generally lower overall crime rate. Being aware of these prevalent property crime types can help residents take targeted preventative measures.

Crime Trends in Brentwood

Brentwood has experienced a stable crime trend over the last year, with a minimal 1.7% increase year-over-year. Analysing the monthly crime rates per 1,000 residents provides further insight into this pattern. The crime rate saw fluctuations, starting at 6.2 in October 2024 and remaining relatively consistent through November (6.2) and December (5.8). There was a dip in January 2025 to 5.1, followed by a gradual rise to 6.5 in March. The summer months of July and August 2025 saw slightly higher rates of 6.8 and 7.1 respectively, before settling back to 6.2 in September 2025. This stable trend suggests that while there are minor monthly variations, the overall crime situation in Brentwood has not seen significant shifts, offering residents a consistent level of safety.

Crime in Nearby Areas

When considering Brentwood's crime landscape, it is useful to compare it with its neighbouring areas. Havering, Epping Forest, Basildon, Thurrock, Barking and Dagenham, and Redbridge all offer regional context. Brentwood's overall crime rate of 73.0 per 1,000 is notably lower than the UK average, and generally fares well against its more urbanised neighbours like Barking and Dagenham. Epping Forest, a more rural district, might present a different crime profile, potentially with lower rates of certain urban-centric crimes. Basildon and Thurrock, with their larger populations and industrial areas, often experience higher crime volumes. Havering and Redbridge, as outer London boroughs, also tend to have higher crime rates than Brentwood. This comparison helps to illustrate Brentwood's relatively favourable position within the wider region.

Protecting Your Property in Brentwood

Given Brentwood's property crime rate of 33.5 per 1,000 people, which is slightly above the UK average, proactive home security is a pertinent consideration for residents. While traditional security systems like Ring or Nest cameras offer reactive recording of incidents, true peace of mind comes from preventing crime before it occurs.

For robust protection, consider an AI-powered home security operating system like scOS. Unlike systems that merely alert you after a break-in, scOS offers proactive deterrence by detecting threats at your property boundary. Its multi-camera intelligence watches all cameras simultaneously, ensuring no blind spots, and can even verify vehicles with DVLA integration to catch fake plates instantly. By learning your routines, scOS only alerts on real threats, avoiding false alarms. When a genuine threat is detected, scOS can autonomously activate lights and speakers, destroying the element of surprise and often making intruders move on within 60 seconds. This professional-grade equipment signals serious protection, offering a significant advantage over DIY systems that often notify you only after the fact. If you are seeking genuine prevention rather than just footage of a crime, a proactive system like scOS provides a comprehensive solution for safeguarding your Brentwood home.