Chappel Crime Rate

Chappel is an exceptionally safe village with an overall crime rate of just 21.2 per 1,000 people. This is one of the lowest rates in the region and is far below the UK average of 91.6. The area's high safety score of 94/100 reflects this secure environment. Furthermore, crime in Chappel has decreased by a significant 40.0% year-over-year, indicating a strong positive trend for the local community. As a quiet, rural settlement located in the Colne Valley, Chappel offers a very stable and low-risk environment for its residents. The following data provides a detailed breakdown of crime types and temporal patterns observed between January and December 2025.

Crime Breakdown in Chappel

Chappel is a very low-crime area where violence and sexual offences are the most significant category, accounting for 45.5% of all reported incidents. This equates to 9.6 crimes per 1,000 residents. The second most common crime is burglary at 15.2%, followed by other theft at 12.1%. These figures indicate that while interpersonal incidents are the primary focus of local statistics, property-related offences, particularly burglary, are also a notable factor for this small community.

The property crime rate in Chappel is 9.0 per 1,000 people. This includes burglary, theft, vehicle crime, and criminal damage. This rate is exceptionally low compared to the UK average of 32.2, making Chappel a highly secure location for residents. However, within this low volume, burglary represents a higher proportion of total crime than in many neighbouring areas, accounting for over 15% of all incidents. For homeowners, this means that while the overall risk is minimal, maintaining high-quality home security should remain a priority to protect against these specific opportunistic threats.

Crime Trends in Chappel

Total crime in Chappel has decreased by a remarkable 40.0% year-over-year. This is an exceptionally positive trend, indicating that the area is becoming even safer over time. However, it is important to note that in such a small community, a decrease of just a few incidents can result in a large percentage change.

The monthly trend data for 2025 shows that crime rates were consistently low, with most months recording between 0.6 and 2.6 crimes per 1,000 residents. The busiest month was April 2025, with a rate of 3.9, followed by July at 3.2. Several months, including February, June, and November, saw rates as low as 0.6 per 1,000. These figures suggest that criminal activity in Chappel is very sporadic and does not follow a strong seasonal pattern. For residents, the overall downward trend and the low volume of crime across the entire year are highly encouraging indicators of local safety.

How To Keep Safe in Chappel

The most common crime in Chappel is violence and sexual offences, which in a small village often involves personal or community disputes. Staying safe involves maintaining awareness and strong community connections.

1. When walking through the village, particularly in the evening, stick to well-lit main roads and avoid isolated footpaths or unlit lanes.
2. Be a proactive neighbour; staying in touch with those nearby and participating in local community groups can help identify and deter unusual activity quickly.
3. Keep personal items like mobile phones and wallets secure and out of sight when in public spaces to avoid attracting opportunistic attention.
4. Ensure your home's exterior is well-lit at night; motion-activated lighting is an effective and simple way to discourage loitering near your property.
5. If you notice any suspicious activity or anti-social behaviour, report it to the local authorities to help them monitor and address any emerging patterns in the area.

Temporal patterns in Chappel show that burglary is a persistent risk throughout the day and night. In the morning (6am to 12pm), burglary accounts for 29% of incidents, but this rises significantly to 45% in the afternoon (12pm to 6pm) and remains high at 44% in the evening (6pm to 12am) and 42% during the night (12am to 6am). This suggests that homes are vulnerable at almost any time. Theft-related offences are also prominent during the daylight hours, accounting for 38% of incidents in both the morning and afternoon. Vehicle crime becomes a more significant factor at night, making up 40% of the small number of incidents. These patterns highlight the need for consistent, 24-hour home security for Chappel residents.

Chappel is situated in a remarkably safe part of Essex. When compared to nearby settlements, it stands out for its very low crime volume. While its most rural neighbours—Fordstreet, Great Tey, White Colne, and Fordham—all reported zero crimes per 1,000 people, Chappel's rate of 21.2 is still impressively low. It is considerably safer than any of the larger urban areas in the Colchester district. This data highlights that Chappel is part of a secure cluster of villages where criminal activity is the exception rather than the rule, making it a highly desirable location for those seeking a peaceful and safe home.

Despite Chappel's exceptionally low overall crime rate, the fact that burglary accounts for 15.2% of all incidents is a clear signal for homeowners to take security seriously. Traditional CCTV systems are often reactive, providing footage of a burglary only after it has occurred. For residents who want to truly protect their property, scOS offers a proactive, AI-powered security operating system. By monitoring property boundaries with multi-camera intelligence, scOS identifies threats before they reach your home. It can trigger autonomous responses, such as activating lights or speakers, to deter potential intruders in real-time. This is particularly effective in an area like Chappel, where most burglaries occur during the afternoon and evening. A visible and proactive system like scOS ensures your home is a "hard target," encouraging opportunistic criminals to move on and maintaining the high level of safety that Chappel is known for.