Crime in De Parys: statistics, rates and trends
539 crimes were recorded in De Parys in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 13% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (181), anti-social behaviour (91) and shoplifting (53) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,063rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | De Parys | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 539 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.9 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +13% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 7,290 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in De Parys peaked in the year to August 2018 (852 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (478). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 37%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 539 | 73.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 478 | 65.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 576 | 79.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 526 | 72.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 577 | 79.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 686 | 94.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 808 | 110.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 775 | 106.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 852 | 116.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 43 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 57 |
| May 2026 | 50 |
| April 2026 | 38 |
| March 2026 | 49 |
| February 2026 | 44 |
| January 2026 | 32 |
| December 2025 | 42 |
| November 2025 | 31 |
| October 2025 | 51 |
| September 2025 | 47 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (42% below) and criminal damage and arson (35% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 20 to 53 and other theft rose from 36 to 50, while criminal damage and arson fell from 52 to 32 and vehicle crime fell from 46 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 181 | 24.8 | 34.2 | +20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 91 | 12.5 | 15.4 | +20% |
| Shoplifting | 53 | 7.3 | 8.5 | +165% |
| Other theft | 50 | 6.9 | 6.4 | +39% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 32 | 4.4 | 6.7 | -38% |
| Vehicle crime | 32 | 4.4 | 5.0 | -30% |
| Public order | 28 | 3.8 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Burglary | 18 | 2.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 16 | 2.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 11 | 1.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 9 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than De Parys; the highest is Greyfriars, Bedford (433.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Putnoe (47.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs De Parys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle & Newnham | 1,499 | 173.6 | +135% |
| Harpur | 1,561 | 168.0 | +127% |
| Putnoe | 385 | 47.3 | -36% |
| Greyfriars | 1,963 | 433.6 | +486% |
| Brickhill | 520 | 58.3 | -21% |
| Riverfield | 285 | 71.4 | -3% |
| Goldington | 935 | 101.5 | +37% |
| Kingsbrook | 1,889 | 170.4 | +130% |
The 10 locations below account for 59% of the crime recorded in De Parys over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (101).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 101 |
| On or near Pemberley Lane | 46 |
| On or near Appledore Road | 30 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 28 |
| On or near St Michael'S Road | 26 |
| On or near St Andrews Road | 20 |
| On or near De Parys Avenue | 19 |
| On or near Maple Place | 17 |
| On or near Park Avenue | 16 |
| On or near Linnet Way | 15 |
Of the 448 crimes in De Parys with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 91 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 168 | 37.5% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 159 | 35.5% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 47 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 10 | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 7 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
De Parys has an estimated population of 7,290 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more students (13.0%, against 7.9%), more private renting (32%, against 20%) and less social housing (13%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up De Parys average decile 5.9 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | De Parys | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 13.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 55.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 12.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 31.9% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.9 | 5.5 (England) |
Is De Parys a safe place to live?
De Parys recorded 73.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,063rd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in De Parys?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 181 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (91).
Is crime in De Parys going up or down?
Recorded crime in De Parys was up 13% on the year before: 539 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 478 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of De Parys?
About 7,290 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers De Parys?
De Parys 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.