Biggleswade Crime Overview
Biggleswade is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in Bedfordshire, and is the 42nd most dangerous overall out of Bedfordshire's 127 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Biggleswade in 2020 was 54 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Bedfordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 34% lower than the Bedfordshire rate of 72 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Biggleswade is the 394th most dangerous small town, and the 2,618th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In May 2020, Biggleswade was the worst small town in Bedfordshire for bicycle theft, with 7 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.32 per 1,000 inhabitants. April 2020 was also a bad month for Biggleswade residents, when it was Bedfordshire's most dangerous small town for drugs, recording 2 crimes at a rate of 0.09 per 1,000 residents. Biggleswade recorded 9 reports of shoplifting during December 2020, making its crime rate of 0.42 the worst small town for shoplifting in Bedfordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Biggleswade are violence and sexual offences, with 447 offences during 2020, giving a crime rate of 21. This is 12% lower than 2019's figure of 500 offences and a difference of 2.45 from 2019's crime rate of 23. Biggleswade's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 4 offences recorded in 2020, a decrease of 25% from 2019's figure of 5 crimes.
Compare Biggleswade to other towns and cities
See how Biggleswade shapes up compared to other locations around the country, including side-by-side comparisons of specific crime types, and separate charting of how Biggleswade and your comparison town's crime rates stack up against one another.
Biggleswade Crime Map
Summary of Crimes in Biggleswade This Year
| Biggleswade | Bedfordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 368 | 16.98 | 14,995 | 22.22 | 31% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 25 | 1.15 | 988 | 1.46 | 27% safer |
| Burglary | 63 | 2.91 | 3,497 | 5.18 | 78% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 92 | 4.24 | 4,944 | 7.32 | 73% safer |
| Drugs | 22 | 1.02 | 1,657 | 2.45 | 140% safer |
| Other Crime | 13 | 0.60 | 1,039 | 1.54 | 157% safer |
| Other Theft | 87 | 4.01 | 3,881 | 5.75 | 43% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 4 | 0.18 | 329 | 0.49 | 172% safer |
| Public Order | 125 | 5.77 | 5,103 | 7.56 | 31% safer |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.46 | 597 | 0.88 | 91% safer |
| Shoplifting | 185 | 8.54 | 2,504 | 3.71 | 57% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 12 | 0.55 | 464 | 0.69 | 25% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 85 | 3.92 | 5,613 | 8.32 | 112% safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 447 | 20.62 | 18,031 | 26.71 | 30% safer |
Crime in Biggleswade Compared To Bedfordshire
Biggleswade Compared to Nearby Small Towns
Biggleswade Crime Trends
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 20 | 17 | 12 | 17 | Getting worse |
| Bicycle Theft | 1.2 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 2.9 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4.2 | Safer |
| Drugs | 0.60 | 0.65 | 1.1 | 1.0 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 0.51 | 0.60 | 0.88 | 0.60 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.0 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.18 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.4 | 3.6 | 6 | 6 | Getting worse |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.74 | 0.92 | 0.78 | 0.46 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.88 | 0.97 | 0.88 | 0.55 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3.9 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 10 | 16 | 23 | 21 | Getting worse |
Changes In Biggleswade's Crime Rates Over Time
Comparing Biggleswade to the UK's Major Cities
| Small Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Biggleswade | 53.98 | - |
| Barnet | 67.71 | 20% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 77.41 | 30% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 83.22 | 35% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 85.81 | 37% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 86.21 | 37% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 97.44 | 45% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 102.87 | 48% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 107.28 | 50% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 133.02 | 59% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 137.10 | 61% more dangerous |
Crime in Biggleswade's Neighbourhoods
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biggleswade East | 492 | 46 | Second |
| Biggleswade West | 677 | 62 | First |
Crime in Biggleswade During Coronavirus Lockdowns
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Biggleswade change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in July, when Biggleswade saw a 1,300% increase in shoplifting. Biggleswade saw a large fall in shoplifting during October, when it fell by 82% compared to October in 2019.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +43% | +52% | +32% | +33% | -13% | +48% | +29% | +175% | +26% | +21% |
| Bicycle Theft | -33% | -50% | +75% | -33% | +200% | -67% | -75% | - | - | -75% |
| Burglary | +14% | - | -56% | +20% | - | +20% | -67% | -31% | -67% | -50% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | +86% | +29% | -20% | -80% | -43% | -33% | -25% | -25% | -57% | +125% |
| Drugs | +150% | - | -60% | +200% | +50% | - | - | - | - | +100% |
| Other Crime | -67% | +200% | -50% | - | - | - | -50% | - | - | - |
| Other Theft | +133% | - | - | -56% | -50% | +100% | +13% | +13% | -60% | -22% |
| Public Order | - | - | -31% | - | +30% | - | -79% | -44% | -14% | -27% |
| Robbery | - | -50% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | +50% | +13% | +38% | +222% | +1,300% | +38% | -71% | -82% | -73% | -67% |
| Theft From the Person | - | -75% | - | -67% | - | - | -33% | - | -67% | - |
| Vehicle Crime | +11% | -14% | -67% | -25% | -50% | -67% | -50% | - | -9% | -43% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | -14% | -33% | +3% | -44% | +37% | +30% | +7% | -38% | -20% | -40% |
Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Biggleswade
What police force serves Biggleswade?
Biggleswade's local territorial police force is the Bedfordshire Police.How dangerous is Biggleswade?
Biggleswade is among the top 5 most dangerous small towns in Bedfordshire.What is Biggleswade's most common crime?
The most common crimes in Biggleswade are violence and sexual offences.What is the least common crime in Biggleswade?
Biggleswade's least common crimes are possession of weapons.Last updated: 01 Apr 2021