Crap Towns / Bedford / Crime

How much crime is there in Bedford?

The police recorded 106 crimes per 1,000 people a year in Bedford from September 2023 to August 2026, 39% higher than the typical town's 76.2. The most common was violence and sexual offences, at 41.8. In the 12 months to August 2026 it was 109, up from 106 in the 12 months to August 2024.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
September 2023 to August 2024	106	78.6
September 2024 to August 2025	102	77.4
September 2025 to August 2026	109	73.7

**By type**
Crime	Here	Typical town
Violence and sexual offences	41.8	34.1
Shoplifting	13.2	7.1
Public order	8.9	6.6
Vehicle crime	8.0	3.8
Criminal damage and arson	7.8	7.0
Other theft	7.7	5.4
Burglary	4.7	3.1
Drugs	4.4	2.4
Other crime	3.0	2.0
Bicycle theft	2.2	0.5
Robbery	1.6	0.6
Possession of weapons	1.4	0.8
Theft from the person	0.9	0.4

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Crimes per 1,000 people a year
Bedford	–	106
Kempston	3.6 km	84.3
Shefford	14.4 km	79.9
Wixams	5.8 km	62.7
Sandy	11.4 km	61.0
Biggleswade	15.4 km	55.2
Marston Moretaine	10.1 km	46.5
Flitwick	15.2 km	40.5
Ampthill	13.0 km	33.1
Cranfield	13.0 km	31.7
Wootton	7.0 km	28.8
The typical town	–	76.2