Crime in Bishop's Stortford Central: statistics, rates and trends
700 crimes were recorded in Bishop's Stortford Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 106.7 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Bishop's Stortford Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Bishop's Stortford Central
- Types of crime in Bishop's Stortford Central
- Bishop's Stortford Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Bishop's Stortford Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bishop's Stortford Central
- Demographics of Bishop's Stortford Central
- Questions about crime in Bishop's Stortford Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (226), anti-social behaviour (200) and shoplifting (86) made up 73% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,082nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Bishop's Stortford Central | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 700 | 10,712 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 106.7 | 68.3 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 6,558 | 156,875 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Bishop's Stortford Central peaked in the year to August 2023 (907 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (621). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 700 | 106.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 621 | 94.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 682 | 104.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 907 | 138.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 780 | 118.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 699 | 106.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 673 | 102.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 666 | 101.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 787 | 120.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 89 |
| July 2026 | 75 |
| June 2026 | 69 |
| May 2026 | 81 |
| April 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 44 |
| February 2026 | 59 |
| January 2026 | 49 |
| December 2025 | 45 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 50 |
Compared with England and Wales, Bishop's Stortford Central recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (2.0 times the national rate) and shoplifting (55% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (34% below) and public order (31% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 127 to 200, while other theft fell from 35 to 28 and public order fell from 37 to 30.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 226 | 34.5 | 34.2 | +5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 200 | 30.5 | 15.4 | +57% |
| Shoplifting | 86 | 13.1 | 8.5 | +15% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 47 | 7.2 | 6.7 | -8% |
| Public order | 30 | 4.6 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Other theft | 28 | 4.3 | 6.4 | -20% |
| Burglary | 24 | 3.7 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 24 | 3.7 | 5.0 | -4% |
| Drugs | 12 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 6 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Bishop's Stortford Central; the highest is Bishop's Stortford North (126.0 per 1,000) and the lowest Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor (37.2).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bishop's Stortford Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop's Stortford South | 333 | 52.4 | -51% |
| Bishop's Stortford All Saints | 512 | 96.6 | -10% |
| Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor | 305 | 37.2 | -65% |
| Bishop's Stortford North | 1,347 | 126.0 | +18% |
| Bishop's Stortford Parsonage | 358 | 49.1 | -54% |
| Much Hadham | 144 | 47.4 | -56% |
| Sawbridgeworth | 556 | 58.1 | -46% |
| Braughing & Standon | 249 | 40.9 | -62% |
The 10 locations below account for 56% of the crime recorded in Bishop's Stortford Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Potter Street” (126).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Potter Street | 126 |
| On or near Nails Lane | 58 |
| On or near Kent Crescent | 39 |
| On or near Beechlands | 32 |
| On or near Merrill Place | 30 |
| On or near Firlands | 29 |
| On or near Trinity Street | 21 |
| On or near Robinson Close | 20 |
| On or near Honeybourne | 19 |
| On or near Castle Street | 18 |
Of the 500 crimes in Bishop's Stortford Central with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 200 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 182 | 36.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 152 | 30.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 73 | 14.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 20 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 2.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 6 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 4 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Bishop's Stortford Central has an estimated population of 6,558 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (26%, against 17%), fewer students (4.5%, against 7.9%) and fewer retired residents (16%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Bishop's Stortford Central average decile 7.4 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Bishop's Stortford Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 20.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 20.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Bishop's Stortford Central a safe place to live?
Bishop's Stortford Central recorded 106.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,082nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Bishop's Stortford Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 226 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (200).
Is crime in Bishop's Stortford Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bishop's Stortford Central was up 13% on the year before: 700 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 621 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Bishop's Stortford Central?
About 6,558 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Bishop's Stortford Central?
Bishop's Stortford Central is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.