“WE ARE securing more charges and getting justice for more victims”
That’s from the Essex Chief Constable as figures show they have secure almost 10 percent more charges in the first half of 2025 than the same time last year.
Between the start of January and the end of July, our officers secured 7,281 charges which is almost 600 more than the 6,682 in 2024.
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said: “My priority, and that of everyone at Essex Police, is to support victims of crime and get them justice.
“The increase in charges for the first half of the year highlights our commitment to people who live, work, study, and visit our great county.
“This is the continuation of hard work over the course of several years – we’ve secured 600 more charges than the first half of last year, 1,200 more than the first half of 2023, and 1,400 more than the first half of 2022.
“We’re solving more burglaries, thefts from shops and sexual offences.
“In the last year we’ve doubled the number of vehicle thefts we’ve solved.
“In just the last month work by my officers has seen a man who defrauded a grieving family out of money by promising to organise a funeral which never took place jailed for more than seven years.
“Two men were jailed for a total of 20 years over three robberies in Essex and Hertfordshire.
“Work by the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Rochford has ensured a prolific shoplifter is now behind bars.
“And 10 teenagers were sentenced to more than 34 years for thinking they could come to Southend and commit violent disorder.”
Mr Harrington added that the force has been able to cut crime at the same time.
He added: “During the same time we’ve seen crime consistently fall with 8,500 fewer offences than last year and 28,000 fewer than before the pandemic.
“But I’m not complacent and neither are my officers. One victim of crime is one too many and we’ll continue to work hard to keep crime falling and getting more justice for victims.”
