Crime by Postcode

Leighton BuzzardTown

Crime in Leighton Buzzard

Recorded crime in Leighton Buzzard is 1.3 times the Central Bedfordshire average and 0.8 times the England and Wales average. Over 5 years it has risen 6%. Most of the harm comes from violence and sexual offences. Police data to August 2026.

Within 1.5 km of the centre of Leighton Buzzard: about 26,298 residents in 25 neighbourhoods.

Safety
5/10Average crime
Living
7.7/10Good
5-year change
+6%more crimes
vs the council
1.3×the Central Bedfordshire average
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Neighbourhoods by Safety

Central Bedfordshire 021A: Safety 1 out of 10, high crimeCentral Bedfordshire 021C: Safety 4 out of 10, above average crimeCentral Bedfordshire 021B: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeCentral Bedfordshire 021D: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024H: Safety 6 out of 10, average crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024J: Safety 5 out of 10, average crimeCentral Bedfordshire 022A: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 022C: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 022B: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024A: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 020A: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024D: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 020E: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 021E: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024I: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024K: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 023C: Safety 10 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 020B: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 020D: Safety 9 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 023D: Safety 10 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 022D: Safety 10 out of 10, very low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024E: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024F: Safety 8 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 024L: Safety 7 out of 10, low crimeCentral Bedfordshire 023B: Safety 10 out of 10, very low crime
1 = least safe, 10 = safest. Grey: no score. Select a neighbourhood to open it on the map.

Within 1.5 km of the centre of Leighton Buzzard.

Crime over 5 years

Up 6% in 5 years Recorded crimes within 1.5 km of Leighton Buzzard, anti-social behaviour left out.

Sep 2021 – Aug 2022: 1,674 crimesSep 2021 – Aug 20221,674Sep 2022 – Aug 2023: 1,891 crimesSep 2022 – Aug 20231,891Sep 2023 – Aug 2024: 1,751 crimesSep 2023 – Aug 20241,751Sep 2024 – Aug 2025: 1,695 crimesSep 2024 – Aug 20251,695Sep 2025 – Aug 2026: 1,781 crimesSep 2025 – Aug 20261,781

What is recorded

Crime severity: 1.3× the Central Bedfordshire average (0.8× the England and Wales average). 68 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.

  • Violence and sexual offences: 54% of the harm here
  • Burglary: 20% of the harm here
  • Robbery: 9% of the harm here

Anti-social behaviour: 22 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.

TypePer 1,000 a year
Robbery1.0
Burglary5.1
Violence and sexual offences21.8
Drugs1.1
Possession of weapons0.4
Other crime1.1
Other theft6.7
Theft from the person0.6
Vehicle crime7.2
Criminal damage and arson7.3
Public order5.8
Bicycle theft1.7
Shoplifting8.2

Postcode districts in Leighton Buzzard

Nearby towns

Council: Central Bedfordshire

Questions about crime in Leighton Buzzard

Is Leighton Buzzard a safe place to live?
Leighton Buzzard scores 5 out of 10 for safety (average crime), compared with every neighbourhood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime severity is 1.3 times the Central Bedfordshire average.
Is crime going up or down in Leighton Buzzard?
Up 6% over 5 years, from 1,674 recorded crimes a year to 1,781.
What is the most common crime in Leighton Buzzard?
The most common recorded crime is violence and sexual offences, about 22 per 1,000 residents a year.
How does crime in Leighton Buzzard compare with Central Bedfordshire?
Crime severity in Leighton Buzzard is 1.3 times the Central Bedfordshire average.