Crime in Central, Luton: statistics, rates and trends
3,706 crimes were recorded in Central, Luton in the 12 months to August 2026, 448.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Central, Luton at a glance
- Crime trends in Central, Luton
- Types of crime in Central, Luton
- Central, Luton compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Central, Luton
- What happened after crimes were reported in Central, Luton
- Demographics of Central, Luton
- Questions about crime in Central, Luton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,046), shoplifting (721) and anti-social behaviour (432) made up 59% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 25th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest tenth.
| Measure | Central, Luton | Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 3,706 | 22,028 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 448.8 | 92.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 8,257 | 239,090 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Central, Luton peaked in the year to August 2024 (4,141 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (3,258). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 3,706 | 448.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 4,049 | 490.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 4,141 | 501.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,516 | 425.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 3,775 | 457.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,281 | 397.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,258 | 394.6 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,690 | 446.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,358 | 406.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 352 |
| July 2026 | 330 |
| June 2026 | 318 |
| May 2026 | 297 |
| April 2026 | 301 |
| March 2026 | 315 |
| February 2026 | 263 |
| January 2026 | 291 |
| December 2025 | 312 |
| November 2025 | 322 |
| October 2025 | 282 |
| September 2025 | 323 |
Compared with England and Wales, Central, Luton recorded notably more shoplifting (10.3 times the national rate), theft from the person (8.9 times the national rate) and bicycle theft (8.5 times the national rate). On the year before, bicycle theft rose from 37 to 58, while shoplifting fell from 1,058 to 721 and burglary fell from 104 to 77.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,046 | 126.7 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 721 | 87.3 | 8.5 | -32% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 432 | 52.3 | 15.4 | +7% |
| Public order | 302 | 36.6 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Other theft | 250 | 30.3 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Drugs | 208 | 25.2 | 3.3 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 157 | 19.0 | 5.0 | +8% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 149 | 18.0 | 6.7 | -22% |
| Theft from the person | 124 | 15.0 | 1.7 | +7% |
| Robbery | 93 | 11.3 | 1.4 | -8% |
| Burglary | 77 | 9.3 | 3.6 | -26% |
| Bicycle theft | 58 | 7.0 | 0.8 | +57% |
| Possession of weapons | 52 | 6.3 | 1.0 | -20% |
| Other crime | 37 | 4.5 | 2.1 | -24% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Central, Luton has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Central, Luton |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Town | 1,364 | 109.4 | -76% |
| South | 1,866 | 147.6 | -67% |
| Farley | 2,019 | 117.0 | -74% |
| Dallow | 872 | 85.7 | -81% |
| Biscot | 698 | 61.4 | -86% |
| Round Green | 733 | 64.9 | -86% |
| Beech Hill | 1,180 | 76.8 | -83% |
| Vauxhall | 456 | 57.4 | -87% |
The 10 locations below account for 66% of the crime recorded in Central, Luton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (489).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 489 |
| On or near Supermarket | 455 |
| On or near Parking Area | 362 |
| On or near Flowers Way | 263 |
| On or near Bridge Street | 210 |
| On or near George Street | 185 |
| On or near Peel Street | 185 |
| On or near Manchester Street | 125 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 105 |
| On or near Mill Street | 70 |
Of the 3,274 crimes in Central, Luton with a recorded outcome, 44% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 432 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,438 | 43.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,055 | 32.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 257 | 7.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 191 | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 109 | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 98 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 67 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 27 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 13 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 12 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 7 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Central, Luton has an estimated population of 8,257 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more unemployed residents (10.3%, against 3.4%), more private renting (60%, against 20%) and more households without a car (62%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Central, Luton average decile 1.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Central, Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 4.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 10.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 5.8% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 18.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 62.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 13.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 26.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 60.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 100.0% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Central, Luton a safe place to live?
Central, Luton recorded 448.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 25th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and theft from the person.
What is the most common crime in Central, Luton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,046 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (721).
Is crime in Central, Luton going up or down?
Recorded crime in Central, Luton was down 8% on the year before: 3,706 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 4,049 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Central, Luton?
About 8,257 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 4.2% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Central, Luton?
Central, Luton 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.