Crime in Biggleswade West: statistics, rates and trends
1,116 crimes were recorded in Biggleswade West in the 12 months to August 2026, 77.6 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 22% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Biggleswade West at a glance
- Crime trends in Biggleswade West
- Types of crime in Biggleswade West
- Biggleswade West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Biggleswade West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Biggleswade West
- Demographics of Biggleswade West
- Questions about crime in Biggleswade West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (346), anti-social behaviour (230) and shoplifting (143) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,926th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Biggleswade West | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,116 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 77.6 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +22% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 14,375 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Biggleswade West peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,237 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (899). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 1%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,116 | 77.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 917 | 63.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,009 | 70.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,156 | 80.4 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,115 | 77.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 899 | 62.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,237 | 86.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,166 | 81.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,100 | 76.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 93 |
| July 2026 | 106 |
| June 2026 | 81 |
| May 2026 | 130 |
| April 2026 | 80 |
| March 2026 | 66 |
| February 2026 | 72 |
| January 2026 | 82 |
| December 2025 | 94 |
| November 2025 | 130 |
| October 2025 | 115 |
| September 2025 | 67 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (57% below) and other theft (30% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 98 to 143 and anti-social behaviour rose from 160 to 230.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 346 | 24.1 | 34.2 | +17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 230 | 16.0 | 15.4 | +44% |
| Shoplifting | 143 | 9.9 | 8.5 | +46% |
| Public order | 79 | 5.5 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 77 | 5.4 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Other theft | 65 | 4.5 | 6.4 | -3% |
| Vehicle crime | 56 | 3.9 | 5.0 | -7% |
| Burglary | 38 | 2.6 | 3.6 | +41% |
| Other crime | 23 | 1.6 | 2.1 | +10% |
| Drugs | 20 | 1.4 | 3.3 | -9% |
| Robbery | 18 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 0.8 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Biggleswade West; the highest is Sandy, Central Bedfordshire (83.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Clifton, Henlow & Langford (45.1).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Biggleswade West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biggleswade East | 457 | 50.9 | -34% |
| Northill | 248 | 51.2 | -34% |
| Potton | 400 | 46.8 | -40% |
| Sandy | 1,196 | 83.7 | +8% |
| Clifton, Henlow & Langford | 710 | 45.1 | -42% |
| Shefford | 695 | 65.8 | -15% |
| Stotfold | 496 | 54.9 | -29% |
| Arlesey & Fairfield | 536 | 48.6 | -37% |
The 10 locations below account for 46% of the crime recorded in Biggleswade West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (100).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 100 |
| On or near Parking Area | 95 |
| On or near Bonds Lane | 64 |
| On or near High Street | 63 |
| On or near Supermarket | 60 |
| On or near Church Street | 34 |
| On or near Winston Crescent | 33 |
| On or near Palace Street | 23 |
| On or near Reynolds Close | 23 |
| On or near Eldon Way | 19 |
Of the 886 crimes in Biggleswade West with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 230 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 381 | 43.0% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 280 | 31.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 101 | 11.4% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 38 | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 31 | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 18 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 18 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Biggleswade West has an estimated population of 14,375 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Biggleswade West average decile 6.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Biggleswade West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 68.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Biggleswade West a safe place to live?
Biggleswade West recorded 77.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,926th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Biggleswade West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 346 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (230).
Is crime in Biggleswade West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Biggleswade West was up 22% on the year before: 1,116 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 917 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Biggleswade West?
About 14,375 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Biggleswade West?
Biggleswade West is policed by Bedfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.