Crime in Eaton Bray: statistics, rates and trends
172 crimes were recorded in Eaton Bray in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Eaton Bray at a glance
- Crime trends in Eaton Bray
- Types of crime in Eaton Bray
- Eaton Bray compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Eaton Bray
- What happened after crimes were reported in Eaton Bray
- Demographics of Eaton Bray
- Questions about crime in Eaton Bray
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (63), anti-social behaviour (32) and criminal damage and arson (23) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 3,251st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest quarter.
| Measure | Eaton Bray | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 172 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.9 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 3,832 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Eaton Bray peaked in the year to August 2018 (272 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (137). 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 | 172 | 44.9 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 182 | 47.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 214 | 55.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 137 | 35.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 151 | 39.4 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 183 | 47.8 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 251 | 65.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 250 | 65.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 272 | 71.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 18 |
| July 2026 | 13 |
| June 2026 | 20 |
| May 2026 | 12 |
| April 2026 | 10 |
| March 2026 | 12 |
| February 2026 | 12 |
| January 2026 | 13 |
| December 2025 | 11 |
| November 2025 | 24 |
| October 2025 | 15 |
| September 2025 | 12 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and violence and sexual offences (52% below) and anti-social behaviour (46% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 53 to 63, while criminal damage and arson fell from 32 to 23 and anti-social behaviour fell from 44 to 32.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 63 | 16.4 | 34.2 | +19% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 32 | 8.4 | 15.4 | -27% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 23 | 6.0 | 6.7 | -28% |
| Vehicle crime | 16 | 4.2 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 10 | 2.6 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 7 | 1.8 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other theft | 7 | 1.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 4 | 1.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
7 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Eaton Bray; the highest is Dunstable Central (107.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Dunstable West (42.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Eaton Bray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunstable North | 619 | 63.2 | +41% |
| Dunstable Central | 838 | 107.3 | +139% |
| Dunstable West | 352 | 42.3 | -6% |
| Houghton Regis West | 1,142 | 92.0 | +105% |
| Dunstable South | 307 | 52.8 | +18% |
| Dunstable East | 1,093 | 96.3 | +114% |
| Leighton-Linslade South | 1,453 | 88.9 | +98% |
| Houghton Regis East | 1,161 | 93.0 | +107% |
The 10 locations below account for 49% of the crime recorded in Eaton Bray over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Park Avenue” and “Parking Area” (12 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Park Avenue | 12 |
| On or near Parking Area | 12 |
| On or near Yew Tree Close | 11 |
| On or near Church Road | 10 |
| On or near Lancotbury Close | 9 |
| On or near Eaton Bray Road | 7 |
| On or near Northall Close | 7 |
| On or near Tring Road | 6 |
| On or near Bridgewater Close | 5 |
| On or near Park Lane | 5 |
Of the 140 crimes in Eaton Bray with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 32 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 52 | 37.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 51 | 36.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 15 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| Local resolution | 9 | 6.4% | 3.1% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
Eaton Bray has an estimated population of 3,832 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (7.5%, against 23.3%), fewer students (3.5%, against 7.9%) and an older population (29%, against 19%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Eaton Bray average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Eaton Bray | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.7% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 55.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 78.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Eaton Bray a safe place to live?
Eaton Bray recorded 44.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 3,251st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Eaton Bray?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 63 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (32).
Is crime in Eaton Bray going up or down?
Recorded crime in Eaton Bray was down 5% on the year before: 172 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 182 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Eaton Bray?
About 3,832 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 29% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Eaton Bray?
Eaton Bray 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.