Harpenden is the safest medium-sized town in Hertfordshire, and is the 62nd safest overall out of Hertfordshire's 140 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Harpenden in 2021 was 37 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares favourably to Hertfordshire's overall crime rate, coming in 59% lower than the Hertfordshire rate of 58 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Harpenden is among the top 5 safest medium-sized towns, and the 5,334th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.
In December 2020, Harpenden was the worst medium-sized town in Hertfordshire for shoplifting, with 31 crimes reported and a crime rate of 1.0 per 1,000 inhabitants. March 2020 was also a bad month for Harpenden residents, when it was Hertfordshire's most dangerous medium-sized town for bicycle theft, recording 10 crimes at a rate of 0.32 per 1,000 residents. Harpenden recorded 3 reports of robbery during April 2019, making its crime rate of 0.10 the worst medium-sized town for robbery in Hertfordshire that month.
The most common crimes in Harpenden are violence and sexual offences, with 322 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 10. This is 8% lower than 2020's figure of 349 offences and a difference of 0.87 from 2020's crime rate of 11. Harpenden's least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 4 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 125% from 2020's figure of 9 crimes.
Safest
Medium-Sized Towns, Hertfordshire
93% lower, regional crime rate
East of England
109% lower, national crime rate
England, Wales & NI
As of 2022, the crime rate in Harpenden is 93% lower than the East of England and 109% lower than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
| Harpenden | |
| East of England | |
| England, Wales & NI |
Incidents mapped in Harpenden represent the time frame between May 2019 and April 2022. Each point on the map represents an area where crimes have been recorded locally.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
Hover over a point to see a breakdown of crime types recorded at that location. You can also filter by individual crime types, or use a combinations of offences to visualize the data you need.
Last updated: 02 Jun, 2022
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| Year | Crime Rate per 1,000 people | Total Crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 37 | 1,125 |
| 2020 | 40 | 1,241 |
| 2019 | 51 | 1,557 |
| 2018 | 54 | 1,651 |
| 2017 | 45 | 1,397 |
| 2016 | 40 | 1,231 |
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| Harpenden | Hertfordshire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Count | Rate | Count | Rate | Rate Difference |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 312 | 10.13 | 24,485 | 20.58 | 103% safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 35 | 1.14 | 1,331 | 1.12 | 1.8% more dangerous |
| Burglary | 55 | 1.79 | 3,117 | 2.62 | 46% safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 82 | 2.66 | 6,856 | 5.76 | 117% safer |
| Drugs | 36 | 1.17 | 2,448 | 2.06 | 76% safer |
| Other Crime | 21 | 0.68 | 1,397 | 1.17 | 72% safer |
| Other Theft | 110 | 3.57 | 6,802 | 5.72 | 60% safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 4 | 0.13 | 613 | 0.52 | 300% safer |
| Public Order | 75 | 2.44 | 5,245 | 4.41 | 81% safer |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.23 | 525 | 0.44 | 91% safer |
| Shoplifting | 191 | 6.20 | 5,743 | 4.83 | 22% more dangerous |
| Theft From the Person | 7 | 0.23 | 907 | 0.76 | 230% safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 180 | 5.85 | 6,670 | 5.61 | 4.1% more dangerous |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 322 | 10.46 | 27,368 | 23.01 | 120% safer |
| Medium-Sized Town | Total Crimes | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpenden | 1,125 | 36.53 | - |
| Rickmansworth | 1,137 | 44.93 | 19% more dangerous |
| Hitchin | 1,731 | 47.36 | 23% more dangerous |
| Bushey | 1,379 | 50.55 | 28% more dangerous |
| Bishop's Stortford | 2,149 | 53.36 | 32% more dangerous |
| Letchworth Garden City | 1,941 | 56.26 | 35% more dangerous |
View crime percentage over time for
| Date | Crime Type | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Willow Way | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Porters Hill | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Byron Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Furzedown Court | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Petrol Station | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Theft from the person | On or near Vaughan Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Lyndhurst Drive | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Northfield Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Public order | On or near Milford Hill | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| April 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Penny Croft | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Sherwoods Rise | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Other theft | On or near Southdown Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Criminal damage and arson | On or near Northfield Road | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| April 2022 | Shoplifting | On or near Supermarket | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Fulmore Close | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Vehicle crime | On or near Pigeonwick | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| March 2022 | Violence and sexual offences | On or near Tallents Crescent | Unable to prosecute suspect |
| March 2022 | Other theft | On or near St Martins Close | Investigation complete; no suspect identified |
| Crime Rate Per 1,000 Residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
| Anti-Social Behaviour | 10 | 10 | 13 | 10 | Safer |
| Bicycle Theft | 2.7 | 2.3 | 0.84 | 1.1 | Safer |
| Burglary | 6 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 1.8 | Safer |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | 5 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 2.7 | Safer |
| Drugs | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.2 | Getting worse |
| Other Crime | 1.3 | 0.97 | 0.62 | 0.68 | Safer |
| Other Theft | 5 | 6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | Safer |
| Possession of Weapons | 0.78 | 0.36 | 0.29 | 0.13 | Safer |
| Public Order | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.4 | Safer |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | 0.26 | 0.26 | 0.19 | 0.23 | Safer |
| Shoplifting | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | Safer |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | 0.78 | 0.65 | 0.49 | 0.23 | Safer |
| Vehicle Crime | 8 | 9 | 3.6 | 6 | Safer |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | Safer |
| Medium-Sized Town | Crime Rate | Rate Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Harpenden | 36.53 | - |
| Barnet | 67.08 | 46% more dangerous |
| Croydon | 82.48 | 56% more dangerous |
| Sheffield | 90.05 | 59% more dangerous |
| Bristol | 90.52 | 60% more dangerous |
| Coventry | 102.24 | 64% more dangerous |
| Leicester | 111.59 | 67% more dangerous |
| Liverpool | 123.06 | 70% more dangerous |
| Birmingham | 129.64 | 72% more dangerous |
| Bradford | 132.28 | 72% more dangerous |
| Leeds | 150.94 | 76% more dangerous |
| Neighbourhood | Crime Count | Crime Rate | Danger Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpenden Common | 125 | 19 | Fourth |
| Harpenden East | 278 | 35 | Second |
| Harpenden North | 202 | 25 | Third |
| Harpenden Town | 520 | 64 | First |
| Crime Type | Safest Neighbourhood | Most Dangerous Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Harpenden Common (35) | Harpenden Town (112) |
| Bicycle Theft | Harpenden East (1) | Harpenden Town (28) |
| Burglary | Harpenden Common (5) | Harpenden Town (29) |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | Harpenden Common (9) | Harpenden Town (32) |
| Drugs | Harpenden Common (3) | Harpenden Town (19) |
| Other Crime | Harpenden Common (2) | Harpenden Town (10) |
| Other Theft | Harpenden Common (9) | Harpenden Town (68) |
| Possession of Weapons | Harpenden Town (2) | Harpenden East (2) |
| Public Order | Harpenden North (14) | Harpenden Town (29) |
| Robbery (inc. mugging) | Harpenden North (1) | Harpenden Town (4) |
| Shoplifting | Harpenden Common (1) | Harpenden Town (163) |
| Theft From the Person (inc. pickpocketing) | Harpenden North (1) | Harpenden Town (5) |
| Vehicle Crime | Harpenden Town (40) | Harpenden East (53) |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | Harpenden Common (43) | Harpenden East (112) |
Looking at the months the UK was in lockdown in 2020 due to Covid-19, how did crime rates in Harpenden change compared to the same month in 2019? The biggest increase in lockdown crime came in October, when Harpenden saw a 400% increase in drugs. Harpenden saw a large fall in criminal damage and arson during April, when it fell by 89% compared to April in 2019. Vehicle Crime saw a fall in every month of Harpenden's lockdown.
| Crime | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | +238% | +200% | +32% | +65% | +88% | -3% | +25% | +8% | -12% | -33% |
| Bicycle Theft | - | -75% | -83% | -80% | -25% | -69% | - | -67% | -75% | -50% |
| Burglary | +140% | -86% | -80% | - | - | +200% | -50% | +100% | -38% | -44% |
| Criminal Damage and Arson | -53% | -89% | +50% | +13% | +143% | -50% | -18% | -57% | +25% | +46% |
| Drugs | - | +125% | -50% | +150% | - | - | +100% | +400% | +100% | - |
| Other Crime | +50% | -40% | - | +50% | +100% | -67% | - | -67% | - | - |
| Other Theft | -20% | -88% | -53% | -50% | +22% | +30% | -20% | -42% | +60% | +67% |
| Possession of Weapons | - | -50% | +200% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Public Order | - | -67% | -17% | +44% | +143% | - | +13% | +38% | +20% | -75% |
| Robbery | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Shoplifting | +53% | -68% | -29% | +27% | +127% | +4% | -30% | -66% | - | +244% |
| Theft From the Person | - | - | - | - | +100% | - | +200% | - | - | +200% |
| Vehicle Crime | -81% | -37% | -82% | -29% | -62% | -75% | -50% | -31% | -85% | +7% |
| Violence and Sexual Offences | +12% | -34% | -9% | +55% | -33% | +25% | -28% | - | +43% | +3% |
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