Crime in Castle & Newnham: statistics, rates and trends
1,499 crimes were recorded in Castle & Newnham in the 12 months to August 2026, 173.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Castle & Newnham at a glance
- Crime trends in Castle & Newnham
- Types of crime in Castle & Newnham
- Castle & Newnham compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Castle & Newnham
- What happened after crimes were reported in Castle & Newnham
- Demographics of Castle & Newnham
- Questions about crime in Castle & Newnham
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (509), shoplifting (246) and anti-social behaviour (160) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 289th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Castle & Newnham | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,499 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 173.6 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 8,635 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Castle & Newnham peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,035 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,346). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 26%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,499 | 173.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,410 | 163.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,515 | 175.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,550 | 179.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,523 | 176.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,346 | 155.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,468 | 170.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,916 | 221.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,035 | 235.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 137 |
| July 2026 | 204 |
| June 2026 | 142 |
| May 2026 | 125 |
| April 2026 | 139 |
| March 2026 | 98 |
| February 2026 | 96 |
| January 2026 | 86 |
| December 2025 | 105 |
| November 2025 | 105 |
| October 2025 | 134 |
| September 2025 | 128 |
Compared with England and Wales, Castle & Newnham recorded notably more bicycle theft (4.9 times the national rate), shoplifting (3.4 times the national rate) and possession of weapons (2.9 times the national rate). On the year before, shoplifting rose from 57 to 246, while criminal damage and arson fell from 111 to 75 and anti-social behaviour fell from 215 to 160.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 509 | 58.9 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Shoplifting | 246 | 28.5 | 8.5 | +332% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 160 | 18.5 | 15.4 | -26% |
| Public order | 112 | 13.0 | 6.7 | -15% |
| Vehicle crime | 81 | 9.4 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Drugs | 77 | 8.9 | 3.3 | +12% |
| Other theft | 76 | 8.8 | 6.4 | -11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 75 | 8.7 | 6.7 | -32% |
| Burglary | 47 | 5.4 | 3.6 | -18% |
| Bicycle theft | 35 | 4.1 | 0.8 | -15% |
| Robbery | 28 | 3.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 24 | 2.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 18 | 2.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Castle & Newnham; the highest is Greyfriars, Bedford (433.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Putnoe (47.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Castle & Newnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Parys | 539 | 73.9 | -57% |
| Kingsbrook | 1,889 | 170.4 | -2% |
| Riverfield | 285 | 71.4 | -59% |
| Greyfriars | 1,963 | 433.6 | +150% |
| Harpur | 1,561 | 168.0 | -3% |
| Cauldwell | 1,806 | 145.5 | -16% |
| Putnoe | 385 | 47.3 | -73% |
| Goldington | 935 | 101.5 | -42% |
The 10 locations below account for 66% of the crime recorded in Castle & Newnham over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (206).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 206 |
| On or near High Street | 149 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 130 |
| On or near Silver Street | 110 |
| On or near Supermarket | 93 |
| On or near Lime Street | 84 |
| On or near Nightclub | 83 |
| On or near Parking Area | 61 |
| On or near Mill Street | 44 |
| On or near St Cuthberts Street | 35 |
Of the 1,339 crimes in Castle & Newnham with a recorded outcome, 36% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 10% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 160 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 481 | 35.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 416 | 31.1% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 156 | 11.7% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 135 | 10.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 53 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 49 | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 13 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 5 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Castle & Newnham has an estimated population of 8,635 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (33%, against 20%), less social housing (10%, against 17%) and more residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (48%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Castle & Newnham average decile 6.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Castle & Newnham | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.1% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 47.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 25.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 57.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 32.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Castle & Newnham a safe place to live?
Castle & Newnham recorded 173.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 289th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Castle & Newnham?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 509 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (246).
Is crime in Castle & Newnham going up or down?
Recorded crime in Castle & Newnham was up 6% on the year before: 1,499 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,410 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Castle & Newnham?
About 8,635 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Castle & Newnham?
Castle & Newnham 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.