BedfordCouncil area
Crime in Bedford
Recorded crime in Bedford is 0.9 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 9%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.
194,976 residents in 117 neighbourhoods.
- Safety
- 4/10Above average crime
- Living
- 6.2/10Fair
- 5-year change
- +9%more crimes
Crime over 5 years
Up 9% in 5 years Recorded crimes in Bedford, anti-social behaviour left out.
What is recorded
Crime severity: 0.9× the England and Wales average. 74 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
- Violence and sexual offences: 59% of the harm here
- Burglary: 17% of the harm here
- Robbery: 7% of the harm here
Anti-social behaviour: 20 incidents per 1,000 residents a year, not scored. Not a crime, so it is not part of the Safety score.
Crime by type
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents per year, most serious first, not counting anti-social behaviour.
| Type | Per 1,000 a year |
|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.9 |
| Burglary | 4.9 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 27.1 |
| Drugs | 2.5 |
| Possession of weapons | 0.7 |
| Other crime | 1.6 |
| Other theft | 6.1 |
| Theft from the person | 0.7 |
| Vehicle crime | 7.0 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 7.0 |
| Public order | 6.4 |
| Bicycle theft | 2.1 |
| Shoplifting | 6.5 |
Towns and cities in Bedford
Postcode districts in Bedford
Questions about crime in Bedford
- Is Bedford a safe place to live?
- Bedford scores 4 out of 10 for safety (above average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Is crime going up or down in Bedford?
- Up 9% over 5 years, from 14,377 recorded crimes a year to 15,730.
- What is the most common crime in Bedford?
- The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 27 per 1,000 residents a year.