The Basildon Neighbourhood Policing Team has started targeted patrols across Basildon, Essex, following a rise in anti-social behaviour reported by local residents over the past week. Using community information, officers and support staff have identified specific times and locations where issues like dirt bike riding and vandalism are most common to help make the streets safer.
In 2025, the area saw 14,617 street-level crimes, with Festival Way recorded as the most affected location with 252 incidents. Data from CrimeRate shows the town has a crime rate 61 per cent higher than the average for the East of England, prompting local authorities to increase their presence in the community.
Basildon Council leader Gavin Callaghan has criticised the police response, stating the town has been let down by senior leaders for several years. To tackle the issue, the council spends £250,000 a year on safety wardens who patrol for 12 hours a day and have issued 30 fines of £100 for nuisance behaviour since June.
Chief Inspector Paul Hogben of Essex Police defended the force, noting that solved crimes increased by 10 per cent after the neighbourhood team was expanded in May 2025. Recent enforcement includes an eviction in Laindon Park and a court injunction against a tenant in Pitsea on 15 January 2026 following persistent complaints about disruptive behaviour.
Residents in areas such as Wickford and Pitsea have reported problems with broken windows, shoplifting, and dirt bikes being driven near children’s play areas in Northlands Park. The police are urging people to continue reporting these incidents to help them decide where to send extra patrols to prevent further disruption.
