Thaxted Crime Rate

Thaxted is a picturesque and exceptionally safe town, with an overall crime rate of 46.1 per 1,000 people. This is approximately half the UK average of 93.1, earning the area a high safety score of 86/100. Furthermore, the crime rate is trending in the right direction, with a substantial 14.7% decrease year-over-year. For the 4,167 residents, this data reflects a community that is not only safe but becoming even more secure over time. While violence and sexual offences make up the majority of reports, the actual volume of incidents remains low, making Thaxted one of the more peaceful settlements in the Uttlesford district.

Crime in Thaxted

Crime in Thaxted is heavily weighted towards violence and sexual offences, which account for 60.9% of all reported incidents. This is a significantly higher proportion than the national average, although the absolute number of cases (117) reflects the town's smaller population. The next most common offences are criminal damage and arson (7.8%) and public order offences (6.8%).

Property crime in Thaxted, which includes burglary, vehicle crime, and theft, occurs at a combined rate of 11.0 per 1,000 people. This is remarkably low compared to the UK average of 32.9. Burglary specifically accounts for 6.2% of total crime, with a rate of 2.9 per 1,000 residents. Vehicle crime is also low at 2.6 per 1,000. For residents, these statistics mean that while personal safety and community order are the primary focus of local policing, the risk of property-related theft or break-ins is substantially lower than in most other UK towns, contributing to Thaxted's overall reputation as a secure place to live.

Crime Trends in Thaxted

The crime trend in Thaxted is exceptionally positive, with total reported offences decreasing by 14.7% year-over-year. This significant drop indicates that Thaxted is becoming even safer, likely due to effective community policing and a vigilant local population.

Monthly data from the past year shows a very low and stable crime rate. The rate reached its lowest points in December 2024 and September 2025, with just 1.9 incidents per 1,000 people. Small peaks occurred in January, May, August, and October 2025, where the rate rose to between 5.0 and 5.8. Even at these peak times, the crime rate remains well below the UK average. The consistency of these low figures throughout the year, combined with the double-digit percentage decrease in the annual total, reinforces Thaxted's status as a low-crime area with a very encouraging safety trajectory.

How To Keep Safe in Thaxted

The most common crime type in Thaxted is violence and sexual offences. While the overall number of incidents is low, personal safety should always be a consideration for residents and visitors.

To stay safe, it is advisable to remain aware of your surroundings, particularly when walking alone at night. Using well-lit paths and letting someone know your expected arrival time can provide peace of mind. In social environments, keep an eye on your belongings and your drinks.

For your property, even though burglary is rare, ensure all doors and windows are securely locked when you are away, especially during the afternoon when stats show a slight increase in risk. For vehicle owners, parking in a garage or a well-lit driveway is the best way to prevent the night-time vehicle crime that occasionally occurs. Finally, participating in local community groups can help you stay informed about any suspicious activity in the area, helping to keep Thaxted's crime rate on its current downward trend.

The temporal patterns of crime in Thaxted reveal specific windows of risk for different offences. Theft-related crimes are most prevalent during the daylight hours, with 25% of morning incidents and 26% of afternoon incidents falling into this category. This likely corresponds with periods of higher footfall in the town's commercial areas.

As the day progresses, the nature of property crime shifts. Burglary shows a distinct peak in the afternoon at 38%, followed by 31% at night and 30% in the evening. This suggests that properties are targeted both when they are likely to be empty during the day and when residents are asleep. Vehicle crime is most concentrated at night, making up 37% of all reported incidents between midnight and 6am. This highlights the importance of overnight vehicle security. Overall, evening hours see a higher proportion of 'other' crimes, including public order and anti-social behaviour, as social activity in the town increases.

In the context of the surrounding region, Thaxted sits in a very safe pocket. While it has a slightly higher crime rate (46.1) than the tiny rural hamlets of Boyton End and Debden, which both report 0.0, it is safer than the nearby market town of Great Dunmow (68.8). It is also significantly more secure than Takeley and Little Canfield (214.1). Elder Street (19.4) and Great Easton (31.0) also report lower rates, but as a larger settlement, Thaxted's figures remain very impressive and indicate a low-risk environment for its residents.

Thaxted’s property crime rate is remarkably low at 11.0 per 1,000 residents. However, for those who want to maintain this high level of security, proactive protection is far more effective than traditional recording devices. Most security systems, like standard doorbell cameras, only provide evidence after a burglary or vehicle theft has occurred.

The scOS operating system changes this dynamic by using AI to detect threats at the property boundary. In Thaxted, where burglary is most common in the afternoon and at night, scOS can watch all your cameras simultaneously and identify unauthorised presence in real-time. It can then trigger autonomous responses—such as activating floodlights or a warning from a speaker—to stop a crime before it happens. This proactive approach is a powerful deterrent, signaling to opportunistic criminals that your home is professionally protected. For residents of a safe town like Thaxted, scOS offers peace of mind by preventing the few threats that do exist.