“WE ARE solving more crime and getting more justice for the people”

That’s from the Epping Forest’s District Commander after new figures showed more than 160 more offences were solved in the area in the last year.

Officers solved more than 1,200 offences in the year to the end of July.

As crime in Epping has been in the news, (and as a general observation on public affairs) we thought we would have a deep dive.

For your information:

Between July 2024 and July 2025, there were:

Violence with Injury: 737

Stalking and Harassment: 1026

Rape: 82

Other Sexual Offences: 163

Chief Inspector Terry Fisher said: “This rise in the number of offences solved highlights our commitment to our neighbourhoods and our communities.

“We’re not distracted, we have been laser focused in our task to keep people safe and put criminals in front of the courts.

“We’ve solved more sexual offences, more burglaries, more vehicle thefts, and more thefts from shops.

“We’ve also seen an increase of between 10 and 20 percent in charges secured by my officers in the last year compared to the previous 12 months.

“But I also know there is more to be done. My officers are relentless in their focussed, determined, and relentless and will keep working to get you justice.”

Specific work with businesses to tackle shop theft has had results.

Chief Inspector Fisher said: “This work has streamlined our evidence gathering process and covert patrols has seen more thefts being solved. We’ve solved 205 more shop theft offences this year and obtained seven more Criminal Behaviour Orders being issued, banning persistent offenders from certain shops. It gives stronger sentences at court and prevents offenders returning to our towns.

“In Waltham Abbey we’ve been successfully tackling drug related anti-social behaviour.

“We’ve had officers carry out late night patrols in hot spot areas in the town centre and that has resulted in the arrest of a man wanted in connection with a GBH in the area earlier that month.

“When he was arrested and searched, officers found drugs so he was further arrested for possession with intent to supply. He’s since been charged and remanded in custody.”

Chief Inspector Fisher added: “At the same time we’ve been able to keep crime coming down across the district with almost 600 fewer offences in the last year.

“But I’m not complacent. One crime is still one too many and the residents of Epping, Loughton, Chigwell and across the district have my commitment that we will keep working hard to keep crime falling and putting more suspects in front of the courts.”