Crime in Dunstable Central: statistics, rates and trends
838 crimes were recorded in Dunstable Central in the 12 months to August 2026, 107.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dunstable Central at a glance
- Crime trends in Dunstable Central
- Types of crime in Dunstable Central
- Dunstable Central compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Dunstable Central
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dunstable Central
- Demographics of Dunstable Central
- Questions about crime in Dunstable Central
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (307), anti-social behaviour (139) and public order (65) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,064th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dunstable Central | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 838 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 107.3 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 7,807 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Dunstable Central peaked in the year to August 2018 (1,592 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (799). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 47%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 838 | 107.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 858 | 109.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 891 | 114.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 914 | 117.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 901 | 115.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 799 | 102.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,188 | 152.2 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,549 | 198.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,592 | 203.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 68 |
| July 2026 | 79 |
| June 2026 | 62 |
| May 2026 | 80 |
| April 2026 | 67 |
| March 2026 | 70 |
| February 2026 | 50 |
| January 2026 | 54 |
| December 2025 | 76 |
| November 2025 | 77 |
| October 2025 | 88 |
| September 2025 | 67 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dunstable Central recorded notably more drugs (2.0 times the national rate) and burglary (37% above the national rate), and notably less shoplifting (56% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 29 to 50 and public order rose from 54 to 65, while criminal damage and arson fell from 84 to 59 and shoplifting fell from 40 to 29.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 307 | 39.3 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 139 | 17.8 | 15.4 | -20% |
| Public order | 65 | 8.3 | 6.7 | +20% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 59 | 7.6 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Drugs | 50 | 6.4 | 3.3 | +72% |
| Other theft | 46 | 5.9 | 6.4 | -19% |
| Vehicle crime | 46 | 5.9 | 5.0 | -10% |
| Burglary | 38 | 4.9 | 3.6 | +9% |
| Shoplifting | 29 | 3.7 | 8.5 | -28% |
| Other crime | 19 | 2.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 17 | 2.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.9 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Dunstable Central has a higher crime rate than all 8 of its nearest neighbourhoods.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dunstable Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunstable North | 619 | 63.2 | -41% |
| Dunstable West | 352 | 42.3 | -61% |
| Dunstable South | 307 | 52.8 | -51% |
| Dunstable East | 1,093 | 96.3 | -10% |
| Houghton Regis West | 1,142 | 92.0 | -14% |
| Houghton Regis East | 1,161 | 93.0 | -13% |
| Eaton Bray | 172 | 44.9 | -58% |
| Caddington | 582 | 55.7 | -48% |
The 10 locations below account for 52% of the crime recorded in Dunstable Central over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (164).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 164 |
| On or near The Square | 56 |
| On or near Parking Area | 47 |
| On or near Radburn Court | 37 |
| On or near Manchester Place | 28 |
| On or near Vernon Place | 27 |
| On or near Spoondell | 24 |
| On or near Frances Drive | 18 |
| On or near Quarry Walk | 18 |
| On or near Waterlow Road | 17 |
Of the 699 crimes in Dunstable Central with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 139 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 280 | 40.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 271 | 38.8% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 39 | 5.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 31 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 28 | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 13 | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Dunstable Central has an estimated population of 7,807 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dunstable Central average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dunstable Central | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.3% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 21.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 61.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 23.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dunstable Central a safe place to live?
Dunstable Central recorded 107.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,064th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were drugs and burglary.
What is the most common crime in Dunstable Central?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 307 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (139).
Is crime in Dunstable Central going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dunstable Central was down 2% on the year before: 838 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 858 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dunstable Central?
About 7,807 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dunstable Central?
Dunstable Central 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.