Bedford Crime Overview
Bedford is among the top 20 most dangerous major towns in the East of England, and the 56th safest overall out of the UK's major towns. The overall crime rate in Bedford in 2020 was 49 crimes per 1,000 people.
In January 2019, Bedford had the worst crime rate in the East of England for theft from the person, with 30 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.17 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The most common crimes in Bedford are violence and sexual offences, with 3,068 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 18. This is 7% lower than 2019's figure of 3,284 offences and a difference of 1.25 from 2019's crime rate of 19. Bedford's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 62 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 15% from 2019's figure of 71 crimes.
Bedford Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Bedford This Year
| Bedford | ||
|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 2,293 | 13.23 |
| Bicycle Theft | 362 | 2.09 |
| Burglary | 620 | 3.58 |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 834 | 4.81 |
| Drugs | 289 | 1.67 |
| Other Crime | 214 | 1.23 |
| Other Theft | 646 | 3.73 |
| Possession of Weapons | 62 | 0.36 |
| Public Order | 833 | 4.81 |
| Robbery | 139 | 0.80 |
| Shoplifting | 481 | 2.78 |
| Theft From the Person | 103 | 0.59 |
| Vehicle Crime | 906 | 5.23 |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 3,068 | 17.70 |
Bedford Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 25 | 22 | 14 | 13 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.2 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 2.1 | Safer |
| Burglary | 3.6 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 4.8 | 6 | 5 | 4.8 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.43 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Theft | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3.7 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.40 | 0.52 | 0.41 | 0.36 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.3 | 3.9 | 5 | 4.8 | Getting worse |
| Robbery | 0.70 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.80 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 5.0 | 6 | 5 | 2.8 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person | 0.91 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.59 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 4.9 | 5 | 4.6 | 5 | Getting worse |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 13 | 18 | 19 | 18 | Getting worse |
Comparing Bedford to the UK's Major Cities
| Major Towns | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 49.38 | - |
| Coventry | 71.50 | 31% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 73.99 | 33% more dangerous |
| Kirklees | 74.23 | 33% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 77.18 | 36% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 79.19 | 38% more dangerous |
| London | 80.70 | 39% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 89.02 | 45% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 91.57 | 46% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 91.90 | 46% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 102.51 | 52% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 105.94 | 53% more dangerous |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Bedford
What police force serves Bedford?
Bedford's local territorial police force is the Bedfordshire Police.How dangerous is Bedford?
Bedford is among the top 20 most dangerous major towns in the East of England.What is Bedford's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Bedford are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Bedford?
Bedford's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 18 Feb 2021