Crime in Dunstable East: statistics, rates and trends
1,093 crimes were recorded in Dunstable East in the 12 months to August 2026, 96.3 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dunstable East at a glance
- Crime trends in Dunstable East
- Types of crime in Dunstable East
- Dunstable East compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Dunstable East
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dunstable East
- Demographics of Dunstable East
- Questions about crime in Dunstable East
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (291), shoplifting (246) and anti-social behaviour (128) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,336th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Dunstable East | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,093 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 96.3 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 11,354 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dunstable East of any year here (1,093 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 42%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,093 | 96.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,123 | 98.9 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,187 | 104.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,135 | 100.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,277 | 112.5 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,296 | 114.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,448 | 127.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,644 | 144.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,889 | 166.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 120 |
| July 2026 | 97 |
| June 2026 | 88 |
| May 2026 | 107 |
| April 2026 | 77 |
| March 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 101 |
| January 2026 | 72 |
| December 2025 | 95 |
| November 2025 | 91 |
| October 2025 | 91 |
| September 2025 | 83 |
Compared with England and Wales, Dunstable East recorded notably more shoplifting (2.6 times the national rate), robbery (55% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (36% above the national rate), and notably less drugs (30% below) and anti-social behaviour (27% below). On the year before, burglary rose from 30 to 51 and vehicle crime rose from 65 to 77, while public order fell from 89 to 62 and anti-social behaviour fell from 176 to 128.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 291 | 25.6 | 34.2 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 246 | 21.7 | 8.5 | -5% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 128 | 11.3 | 15.4 | -27% |
| Other theft | 78 | 6.9 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 77 | 6.8 | 5.0 | +18% |
| Public order | 62 | 5.5 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 59 | 5.2 | 6.7 | -2% |
| Burglary | 51 | 4.5 | 3.6 | +70% |
| Drugs | 26 | 2.3 | 3.3 | -7% |
| Robbery | 24 | 2.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 17 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 1.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 10 | 0.9 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 9 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Dunstable East; the highest is Dunstable Central (107.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Dunstable West (42.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dunstable East |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunstable South | 307 | 52.8 | -45% |
| Dunstable Central | 838 | 107.3 | +12% |
| Dunstable West | 352 | 42.3 | -56% |
| Houghton Regis West | 1,142 | 92.0 | -4% |
| Dunstable North | 619 | 63.2 | -34% |
| Houghton Regis East | 1,161 | 93.0 | -3% |
| Caddington | 582 | 55.7 | -42% |
| Eaton Bray | 172 | 44.9 | -53% |
The 10 locations below account for 57% of the crime recorded in Dunstable East over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (187).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 187 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 117 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 82 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 61 |
| On or near Dukeminster Road | 48 |
| On or near Russett Way | 32 |
| On or near Florence Close | 24 |
| On or near Church Walk | 23 |
| On or near Parking Area | 22 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 22 |
Of the 965 crimes in Dunstable East with a recorded outcome, 52% 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 128 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 500 | 51.8% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 266 | 27.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 73 | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 42 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 34 | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 23 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 11 | 1.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 8 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Dunstable East has an estimated population of 11,354 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (6.8%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (16%, against 23%) and fewer students (5.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dunstable East average decile 7.7 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Dunstable East | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.1% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 75.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 6.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.5% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dunstable East a safe place to live?
Dunstable East recorded 96.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,336th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and robbery.
What is the most common crime in Dunstable East?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 291 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (246).
Is crime in Dunstable East going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dunstable East was down 3% on the year before: 1,093 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,123 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dunstable East?
About 11,354 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dunstable East?
Dunstable East 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.