Crime and justice in Bedford
Unitary authorityThe west of the East of England. 196,398 people in 476 square kilometres.
13 layers about crime and justice for Bedford, each at the level its publisher released it, with its own date and source.
Crime and ASB by neighbourhood
Police recorded crime and outcomes (data.police.uk) · August 2026
Bedford’s 117 neighbourhoods range from 1 to 148.
Is Bedford safe? What police records show
In the 12 months to August 2026, police recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour in Bedford at a rate of 94.8 per 1,000 people.
That compares with 80.2 per 1,000 people across East of England.
Across England as a whole, the recorded crime rate was 96.3 per 1,000 people.
In August 2026 alone, 1,867 cases of crime and anti-social behaviour were recorded in Bedford.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the most common types were violence and sexual offences (6,556), other crime (3,298) and anti-social behaviour (2,909).
A year earlier, the recorded crime rate in Bedford was 90.4 per 1,000 people.
Worked out by Open Index from police.uk crime records and ONS and NISRA population estimates.
Rates are per resident, so places that many people work in or visit, such as Westminster, the City of London and other city centres, have far higher rates than their residents alone would suggest.
Recorded crime rate
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyIn the 12 months to August 2026, police recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour in Bedford at a rate of 94.8 per 1,000 people.
That compares with 80.2 per 1,000 people across East of England.
Worked out by Open Index from police.uk crime records and ONS and NISRA population estimates.
- Against East of England
- 18% higher80.2 per 1,000
Crime and anti-social behaviour
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyAnti-social behaviour
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyBurglary
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyCriminal damage and arson
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyDrug offences
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyOther crime
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyRobbery
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyShoplifting
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyTheft from the person
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyVehicle crime
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyViolence and sexual offences
CouncilEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyStreet-level crime
Map pointEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland onlyPublished as points, so there is no single figure for Bedford. The map shows each one.