St Laurence, Southend-on-Sea: Safety
Safety
Crime in St Laurence has dropped noticeably over the past two years, and the neighbourhood now sits below the UK average when you look at it per person.
In 2024, St Laurence recorded 77 crimes per 1,000 residents. By 2025 that had fallen to 62.6, well below the UK average of 88.6. The trend is continuing into 2026. Anti-social behaviour is also lower here than the UK average, which matters for how safe the neighbourhood feels day to day. Compared to neighbouring areas like Prittlewell and St. Luke's, St Laurence sees meaningfully fewer crimes per resident. This is steady improvement, not just a one-off dip.
Source: police-recorded crime for St Laurence ward (Essex Police, data.police.uk), Jan 2024–Aug 2026; residents from Census 2021. This summary may predate the latest data release; the table below has the current figures.
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Crime rate comparison
Crimes per 1,000 residents, Jan–Dec 2025. St Laurence ward: Essex Police data via data.police.uk; residents from Census 2021. Averages are for all wards in the area over the same months. Planna's safety index uses the latest 12 months instead, so it can differ.
2024
2025
Jan–Aug 2026
St Laurence ward
Crimes/1,000 residents
62.6
Lower than
UK average (England, Wales & N. Ireland)
98.8
Lower than
East of England region average
81.9
Neighbouring wards
Higher than
Eastwood Park
45.2
Similar to
Blenheim Park
60.5
Lower than
Prittlewell
126.4
Lower than
St. Luke's
89.5
Lower than
Roche South
110.4
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Types of Crime
Share of police-recorded crimes in St Laurence ward and the East of England region average, Jan–Dec 2025.
This ward
Regional average
- Violent offences48%38%
- Anti-social behaviour11%14%
- Public order7%6%
- Criminal damage and arson7%8%
- Vehicle crime5%5%
- Other theft5%7%
- Shoplifting4%8%
- Drugs3%3%
- Burglary3%3%
- Other crime2%2%
- Possession of weapons2%1%
- Robbery1%1%
- Bicycle theft<1%1%
- Theft from the person<1%1%
