Rayleigh Crime Rate February 2026 | Monthly Statistics

Rayleigh's drug-related offences in February 2026 stood at 0.4 per 1,000 residents, 74% above the UK average of 0.2 per 1,000. This stark divergence from national trends highlights a specific challenge in the built-up area within Rochford. While the overall crime rate of 4.0 per 1,000 residents places Rayleigh 37.5% below the UK average of 6.4, the disproportionate prevalence of drug-related incidents suggests localized factors influencing this category. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 44.5% of all reported crimes (57 incidents), followed by anti-social behaviour (9.4%) and drugs (9.4%). The seasonal context of February—a winter month with low outdoor activity—may partly explain the 66% reduction in shoplifting compared to the UK average, as retail premises experience fewer footfall opportunities. However, the concentration of violent crimes in this area, which is 22% below the UK average for violence, indicates a combination of local demographics and community dynamics. The area's status as a commuter town with limited nightlife may help explain the lower rates of public order offences (51% below UK average), though the rise in drug-related crimes remains unexplained by available data. This contrast between overall low crime levels and specific category outliers underscores the need for targeted local analysis.

February 2026 saw a 100% increase in robbery incidents (0 to 1) and a 100% rise in 'other crime' (0 to 2), marking two of the most significant monthly jumps in the area's crime history. Drug-related offences also doubled from 6 to 12, a 100% increase that places this category 74% above the UK average. Conversely, vehicle crime fell by 33.3% (12 to 8), potentially reflecting seasonal changes in parking patterns or increased vehicle security measures. The violent crime rate (1.8 per 1,000) remained 22% below the UK average, despite accounting for 44.5% of all reported crimes. This suggests a higher proportion of violent incidents in Rayleigh relative to other areas. Residents may find the 5 crimes reported per day (based on February's 128 total incidents) a useful benchmark for local awareness. The sharp contrast between the 74% drug-related offence overperformance and the 56% anti-social behaviour underperformance (0.4 vs UK average 0.9) indicates divergent trends in community behaviour that warrant further exploration.

Rayleigh's crime rate in February 2026 rose 33.2% from the previous month's 3.0 per 1,000 to 4.0 per 1,000, marking a notable upward trend. This increase, though still well below the UK average, translates to 5 crimes reported per day in the built-up area—a figure that may seem high for some residents but is proportionally lower than national benchmarks. Over the course of the month, 1 reported crime occurred for roughly every 252 residents, a monthly exposure rate that places Rayleigh in the lower quartile of UK built-up areas. When scaled to the area's population of 32,250, this means approximately 128 residents experienced a crime in February. The population-scaled perspective highlights that while the absolute number of crimes is low, the 33.2% monthly increase suggests emerging pressures that could warrant closer monitoring. This comparison to previous months and UK-wide figures provides context for residents assessing local safety trends, though the overall crime rate remains significantly below national averages.