Crime in Great Barford, Bedford: statistics, rates and trends
207 crimes were recorded in Great Barford, Bedford in the 12 months to August 2026, 52.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Great Barford, Bedford at a glance
- Crime trends in Great Barford, Bedford
- Types of crime in Great Barford, Bedford
- Great Barford, Bedford compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Great Barford, Bedford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Great Barford, Bedford
- Demographics of Great Barford, Bedford
- Questions about crime in Great Barford, Bedford
- About this data
Crime map
Anti-social behaviour (76), violence and sexual offences (46) and vehicle crime (21) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,929th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Great Barford, Bedford | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 207 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 52.3 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +11% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 3,957 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Great Barford, Bedford peaked in the year to August 2019 (226 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (166). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 4%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 207 | 52.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 187 | 47.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 166 | 42.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 188 | 47.5 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 198 | 50.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 199 | 50.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 196 | 49.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 226 | 57.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 216 | 54.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 18 |
| June 2026 | 21 |
| May 2026 | 16 |
| April 2026 | 11 |
| March 2026 | 16 |
| February 2026 | 18 |
| January 2026 | 16 |
| December 2025 | 14 |
| November 2025 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 14 |
| September 2025 | 14 |
Compared with England and Wales, Great Barford, Bedford recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (25% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (66% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 32 to 76, while violence and sexual offences fell from 60 to 46.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 76 | 19.2 | 15.4 | +138% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 46 | 11.6 | 34.2 | -23% |
| Vehicle crime | 21 | 5.3 | 5.0 | +5% |
| Other theft | 17 | 4.3 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Burglary | 11 | 2.8 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 10 | 2.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Public order | 8 | 2.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 5 | 1.3 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 5 | 1.3 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Great Barford, Bedford; the highest is Castle & Newnham (173.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Renhold & Ravensden (41.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Great Barford, Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renhold & Ravensden | 133 | 41.9 | -20% |
| Goldington | 935 | 101.5 | +94% |
| Riverfield | 285 | 71.4 | +36% |
| Putnoe | 385 | 47.3 | -10% |
| Castle & Newnham | 1,499 | 173.6 | +232% |
| Shortstown | 525 | 70.8 | +35% |
| De Parys | 539 | 73.9 | +41% |
| Kingsbrook | 1,889 | 170.4 | +226% |
The 10 locations below account for 55% of the crime recorded in Great Barford, Bedford over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Chapel Lane” (24).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Chapel Lane | 24 |
| On or near Church End | 20 |
| On or near Churchgate | 16 |
| On or near Roxton Road | 11 |
| On or near Mowbray Place | 10 |
| On or near Norman Close | 8 |
| On or near Sandy Road | 8 |
| On or near Bedford Road | 6 |
| On or near Burrsholt | 6 |
| On or near Nightingale Road | 5 |
Of the 131 crimes in Great Barford, Bedford with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 76 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 62 | 47.3% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 32 | 24.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 15 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 4 | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 2.3% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
Great Barford, Bedford has an estimated population of 3,957 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (7.7%, against 23.3%), less social housing (9.0%, against 17.1%) and fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Great Barford, Bedford average decile 7.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Great Barford, Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 27.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 13.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 7.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 80.0% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.0% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Great Barford, Bedford a safe place to live?
Great Barford, Bedford recorded 52.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,929th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Great Barford, Bedford?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 76 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (46).
Is crime in Great Barford, Bedford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Great Barford, Bedford was up 11% on the year before: 207 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 187 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Great Barford, Bedford?
About 3,957 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 25% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Great Barford, Bedford?
Great Barford, Bedford 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.